2496. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cause of ‘blood at the nostrils’ of horses during races; and the treatment provided to horses found to be bleeding in this way. [55245/26]

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland. The role of the IHRB is provided for under the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 and subsequent Statutory Instruments, however the body itself remains a private entity.

The IHRB has informed my Department that blood observed at the nostrils following a race (epistaxis) may arise from a number of causes including, for example, from a fall, or from a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). EIPH is a well-recognised condition affecting horses and other mammals in which intense exercise can result in bleeding from small blood vessels within the lungs into the airways. EIPH in equines has been extensively researched internationally and is known to be a multifactorial condition which is difficult to predict, with severity varying between individuals and episodes.

The IHRB has further informed my Department that appropriate management of epistaxis depends on the underlying cause and the individual clinical circumstances. The diagnosis and management of individual horses rests with a trainer and their veterinary surgeon. Where EIPH is diagnosed, appropriate management may include investigation for any underlying respiratory disease or infection, a period of rest and a graduated return to exercise when clinically appropriate.