Clean Run - June 2015 - 5

BIS Policies and Anabolic Steroid
Use in Agility
By Ann Croft

While bitches in season (BIS) commonly compete in agility events
overseas, BIS are not allowed to compete at US agility trials sanctioned by AKC, CPE, NADAC, or USDAA. UKI is the only US
organization that currently permits BIS to run in local trials, but the
host committee must agree. BIS need to be declared at check-in
and they run last in each class, starting from a mat that is provided
for them at the start line. BIS may also be asked by the trial host to
limit their activity outside the ring to specific areas of the site. UKI
also allows BIS to compete at its annual championship event, the
US Open. USDAA allowed BIS to compete at the 2014 Cynosport
Games and this past March they extended that special provision to
the remaining 2015 regional events. The other organizations do not
allow BIS at their national championships or other major events.
Historically, refunds for BIS have not been given, although policies now vary, sometimes allowing for full or partial refunds depending on the sanctioning organization or individual trial-host's
policy. Owners of BIS still usually lose money on forfeited entry
fees and other nonrecoverable expenses. They lose opportunities
to compete at regular weekend shows to earn titles, points, and
qualifiers; and they may lose the chance to compete at a national
championship event that they have spent a great deal of time and
money preparing for through training, travel, and earning qualifying scores. As a consequence of these policies, most owners of
female agility dogs spay-a practice that removes many females
that are worthy of breeding from the gene pool. The result is that
many puppies destined for agility homes are born from stock that
has not been proven in agility competition.
What about the competitors or established breeders who want to
enjoy training and competing with their girls, prove their ability in
agility, and possibly breed them in the future? They are left with
this choice of potentially losing money, time, and opportunity, and
a show schedule that may prevent them from participating in the
top events. With this dilemma, a growing number of people have
learned of the possibility of manipulating and forestalling heat
cycles through the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (commonly
referred to simply as anabolic steroids). Mibolerone, formerly marketed as Cheque Drops, has been prescribed for a number of years
to prevent estrous and stop females from coming into heat. I used
to think this practice was limited to just a few competitors using it
in short-term situations; for example, to prevent a bitch from coming into heat for an upcoming national championship. However,
over the years it seems the practice has become more widespread
in our sport. In some cases, bitches are being given this drug continuously for prolonged periods, even years. While use of mibolerone may appear safe, since most females return to normal heat
cycles after discontinuing the drug and most are able to produce
litters, I began to wonder if there were other effects when giving
this type of steroid to agility dogs.
June 15 | Clean Run

What I found out is that mibolerone is a potent synthetic anabolic
steroid. Testosterone, the "maleness hormone," is the best known
naturally occurring anabolic steroid. Anabolic-androgenic steroids
promote the building of muscle mass (anabolic property) and are
responsible for development of secondary male characteristics
(androgenic property). Chemically mibolerone has 41 times the
anabolic activity of testosterone and 18 times the androgenic activity. Mibolerone has both the ability to enhance the development of
muscle mass and strength, and the ability to enhance aggressiveness and adrenaline. For these reasons, it has been sought after by
body builders and other athletes as a performance-enhancing drug,
particularly for use before competitions.
Health risks associated with the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids include liver damage, increased serum cholesterol, high
blood pressure, and heart damage. These serious risks combined
with behavioral issues such as increased aggression, coupled with
the potential performance-enhancing properties, have led all major
sports organizations to ban the use of these drugs in human athletes. In addition, curtailment or banning of anabolic-androgenic
steroids use in horse racing and greyhound racing has been mandated by many of the respective sanctioning organizations or, in
some cases, outlawed by state or local ordinance.
Although mibolerone is given legally by prescription to agility dogs
to prevent heat cycles, I believe we should do what we can to end
this practice. The dogs given this drug are being exposed to these
same serious health risks and potential for increased aggression as
human, equine, and greyhound athletes, where the use of anabolicandrogenic steroids has been banned or outlawed in most cases. The
potential for enhanced performance through increased muscle mass
and strength, and drive and adrenaline in competition-even if an
unintentional by-product-may compromise results. These are all
real issues with animal athletes just as they are with human athletes.
As a first step, if you have your dog on this drug or are considering
it, read all you can and carefully consider the possible consequences. I have provided several links to websites for more information
on mibolerone and anabolic steroid use. Secondly, I hope agility
organizations will begin a discourse on what they can do to help
end this practice. The first step they can take is to allow BIS to
compete, eliminating the primary reason female agility dogs are
put on this drug in the first place.
Kudos to UKI for offering a BIS-friendly policy from the beginning, and to USDAA for taking a great step in allowing BIS to
compete at Cynosport and regionals. USDAA has commented that
if all continues to go well they will consider allowing host clubs to
allow BIS to compete at regular events in 2016. I hope the other
agility organizations will follow the UKI and USDAA examples!
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Clean Run - June 2015

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