Lasix fee will increase to $30 at Maryland tracks for 2024

The fee for administration of race-day Lasix at Maryland racetracks will increase to $30 from $25 effective in 2024.

Dr. Jay Baldwin of First Equine, a practice that handles third-party Lasix administration at Maryland racetracks, noted that $30 is the fee at Delaware Park, which also uses his company’s services. He said the only reason for the fee increase is a national shortage of equine veterinarians—and other veterinarians—that developed over the past two years.

Baldwin said First Equine needed to give a pay increase of about 50% to all veterinary staff in order to maintain staffing about 18 months ago. That cost was not passed along to clients. He also said the fee increase is not due to medication or insurance costs, but both of those have also gone up significantly.

The first program for the 2024 winter meet at Laurel is scheduled for Jan. 5.