A Veterinarian Studying Surgery to Repair Damaged Colons in Horses

A veterinarian studying surgery to repair damaged colons in horses obtains 10 horses that have been relinquished by their owners and slated for euthanasia because of severe lameness. The horses will be randomized into two treatment groups. The control group will have blood flow interrupted to parts of the colon for five minutes before it is restored again. The experimental group will have blood flow interrupted for five minutes, then will be injected with a drug before blood flow is restored. At the end of the surgery the horses will be euthanized. The goal is to assess if the drug can slow cell death and allow recovery from interruptions in blood circulation. Does the veterinarian, who works for a major research university, need to obtain approval from the Institutional Review Board?

A) No, because the horses were slated for euthanasia anyway.
B) Yes, because the study involves live animals.
C) No, but informed consent from the previous owners needs to be obtained.
D) None of the answer options is correct.