Azium (dexamethasone) is a corticosteroid, also sold as Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate, Azium, Dex, Dexamethasone Sodium Succinate. Below: how 10 show and racing governing bodies list it, every published detection time for the dose and route studied, and the document and page each value comes from.USEF: Restricted: dose and time limitsFEI: Controlled Medication, detection time 48 h (2 days)HISA/HIWU: detection time 72 h (3 days)named in the rules of 17 state racing commissions
Each row is one study the governing body published: its own dose, route and formulation. A different dose or route was not studied, and the body says so.
| Body and document | Dose and route studied | Formulation | Horses | Detection time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEI 2024 (16 December 2024) p. 2 | 10 mg Na-phosphate · IV | Aqueous solution | 6 | 48 h (2 days) |
| Equestrian Canada Rev. January 15, 2025 p. 18 | 25mg IV · IV | 48 h (2 days) | ||
| Equestrian Canada Rev. January 15, 2025 p. 18 | 20mg IM · IM | 48 h (2 days) | ||
| Equestrian Canada Rev. January 15, 2025 p. 18 | 10mg PO · oral | 48 h (2 days) | ||
| HISA / HIWU Last updated on December 8th, 2023 p. 8 | Single 20 mg oral dose · oral | 20 | 72 h (3 days) urine | |
| HISA / HIWU Last updated on December 8th, 2023 p. 9 | 0.06 mg/kg single IV dose · IV | 6 | 72 h (3 days) | |
| HISA / HIWU 080624 p. 3 | Single 20 mg oral dose · oral | 20 | 72 h (3 days) urine | |
| HISA / HIWU 080624 p. 3 | 0.06 mg/kg single IV dose · IV | 6 | 72 h (3 days) | |
| IFHA / EHSLC Undated PDF p. 1 | 0.06mg/kg, single dose (15ml/500kg horse) · IV | Dexadreson® Intervet UK Ltd | 6 | 120 h (5 days) urine |
| RMTC (advisory) Updated September 30, 2024 p. 3 | Single 20 mg IV, IM, or oral dose (IV row) · IV | 20 | 72 h (3 days) | |
| RMTC (advisory) Updated September 30, 2024 p. 3 | Single 20 mg IV, IM, or oral dose (oral row) · oral | 20 | 72 h (3 days) | |
| RMTC (advisory) Updated September 30, 2024 p. 3 | 0.06 mg/kg single IV dose · IV | 6 | 72 h (3 days) |
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium publishes withdrawal guidance built on HISA's detection times. It is advisory, not a rule, and ShowSafe Pro shows it beside the HISA result, never in place of it.
| Dose and route | Withdrawal guidance | HISA detection time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single 20 mg IV, IM, or oral dose (IV row) · IV | 96 h (4 days) | RMTC advisory p. 3 | |
| Single 20 mg IV, IM, or oral dose (oral row) · oral | 96 h (4 days) | RMTC advisory p. 3 | |
| 0.06 mg/kg single IV dose · IV | 96 h (4 days) | RMTC advisory p. 3 | |
| single 40 mg oral dose of Dexamethasone SP (endnote 13) · oral | 96 h (4 days) | RMTC advisory p. 3 |
Transcribed from the governing bodies' own documents. Each entry links to the document and quotes the row it came from.
“Dexamethasone Azium® 1.0 mg/100Lb (10 mg/1000Lb) or >12 hours Oral, IV, IM Corticosteroid” — source p. 10
“CONTROLLED Dexamethasone Corticosteroid” — source p. 12
“DEXAMETHASONE Aqueous 10 mg Na- i.v. 6 48 (2d) solution phosphate” — source p. 2
From 2027-01-01: 2027 Equine Prohibited Substances List p. 12 lists it as Controlled Medication.
“Dexamethasone” — source p. 11
“VIO405.12 Dexamethasone - the maximum permitted plasma concentration is 0.5 nanograms per milliliter at the time of competition.” — source p. 48
“a. Alternative Number 1. Each 24 hours, not more than 2.0 milligrams” — source p. 78
“Dexamethasone ... Permitted ... The maximum permitted plasma concentration of dexamethasone is 0.003 micrograms per milliliter.” — source
“1. Alternative No 1: 2.0 mg or less per 100 pounds IV or IM at 12 or more hours before competition” — source p. 12
“Dexamethasone4 ... Single 20 mg oral dose ... 72 hours (20) ... 0.2 ng/mL in urine” — source p. 3
“Dexamethasone ... 72 hours: Single 20 mg oral dose (20 horses) ... 0.2 ng/mL in urine.” — source p. 8
“Dexamethasone Azium, etc. 4 C” — source p. 24
“Dexamethasone Harness Racing Only. | 5 picograms per milliliter of plasma or serum SEE NOTE BELOW | 72 hours” — source p. 3
“Dexamethasone sodium phosphate Dexadreson® Intervet UK Ltd 0.06mg/kg, single dose (15ml/500kg horse) i.v. (6) 120 (5 days)” — source p. 1
Azium is named in the medication rules, threshold schedules or withdrawal guidance of 17 state racing commissions: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia. Most states publish thresholds (concentrations), not times, and several adopt the ARCI schedule by reference. ShowSafe Pro Racing layers each state's rules over HISA or ARCI the way that state applies them, for all 32 states with live pari-mutuel racing.
A published detection time tells you how long Azium stayed detectable in a handful of horses given one dose by one route. It does not tell you when your horse is clear: a bigger dose, a different route, repeated doses, a joint injection or a slower horse all push the real figure out, and every governing body says to add a safety margin set by your veterinarian. Here is how to read the rulebook.
ShowSafe Pro takes the doses already logged for your horse, matches each one to the published row for that dose and route, adds the margin your vet set, and flags anything the studies never covered as Unknown, ask your vet instead of guessing. Every answer shows the document, page and line it came from, for every rulebook the show runs under.
The 2026 USEF Guidelines & Rules for Drugs and Medications (with 27 Jul 2026 Guidelines Update) list Azium as "Restricted Medication Dose and Time Recommendations". Maximum dose: 1.0 mg/100Lb (10 mg/1000Lb) each 24 hours. Not within 12 h of competition. Screening limit 0.5 nanograms per milliliter in plasma. (Page 10.)
The FEI List of Detection Times gives 48 h (2 days) for 10 mg Na-phosphate IV (Aqueous solution). On the 2026 FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List Azium is a Controlled Medication. The FEI states that a detection time is not a withdrawal time; the treating veterinarian adds a safety margin.
HIWU's published detection time for Azium is 72 h (3 days) for Single 20 mg oral dose (20 horses), screening limit 0.2 ng/mL in urine.. RMTC's advisory withdrawal guidance for the same dose is 96 h (4 days). A detection time is not a withdrawal time; HISA leaves the safety margin to your veterinarian.
No. It is the approximate time Azium stayed detectable in the horses studied, at that dose and route. Your horse, dose, route and number of doses may differ. Every governing body tells you to add a safety margin set by your veterinarian, and none publishes a withdrawal time. ShowSafe Pro applies the published row for the dose and route you actually gave, adds your vet's margin, and says 'Unknown' when the studies do not cover what you gave.