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Veterinary sciences2025; 12(3); doi: 10.3390/vetsci12030262

A Retrospective Study on Pre- and Intraoperative Predictors on the Recovery Quality of Horses After General Anesthesia.

Abstract: Equine anesthesia is related to high morbidity and mortality rates and recent studies suggested that the period of recovery remains the phase associated with the greatest risk of mortality in horses. Intraoperative hypotension, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia are recognized as potential determinants of recovery quality. This study, conducted at the Equine University Hospital of Liege, aimed to explore how these factors influence recovery outcomes and compare complications between non-emergency and emergency procedures. We analyzed data from 1057 horses, with a mean weight of 498 kg (ranging from 150 to 850 kg) and a mean age of 10.7 (ranging from 0.5 to 37 years), undergoing standardized general anesthesia for non-emergency and emergency procedures to assess which factors influence recovery quality. Recoveries were graded as 'good' or 'bad' and age, sex, breed, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, weight, anesthesia duration, presence of hypotension, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia were compared with a logistic regression analysis. Our findings highlight the multifactorial nature of anesthetic recovery in horses, with breed, age, anesthesia and recovery duration, and emergency status emerging as significant influencing factors. Additionally, monitoring and managing hypoxemia and hypotension remain critical due to their recognized impact on recovery quality. However, despite their clinical relevance, the specific effects of these variables on anesthetic recovery in horses remain insufficiently studied, emphasizing the need for further research to refine perioperative management strategies and improve outcomes.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-11 PubMed ID: 40266986PubMed Central: PMC11945850DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12030262Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research explores the factors influencing recovery quality in horses after general anesthesia, highlighting breed, age, anesthesia and recovery duration, and emergency status as significant determinants. It also points out the critical need for monitoring and managing hypoxemia and hypotension, given their impact on recovery quality. However, the specific effects of these variables on anesthetic recovery in horses need further study for improved perioperative management strategies and outcomes.

Study Overview

  • The study by the Equine University Hospital of Liege examined factors that predict the recovery quality of horses after general anesthesia. It aimed to find how these factors—hypotension, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia—affect post-anesthetic recovery and compared complications between non-emergency and emergency procedures.

Study Sample

  • To determine these factors, the researchers took data from 1057 horses, ranging from 0.5 to 37 years old and weighing between 150 kg and 850 kg. The horses underwent standardized general anesthesia for either routine or emergency procedures.

Analysis

  • The horses’ recoveries were graded as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, and variables, such as age, sex, breed, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, anesthesia duration, and the presence of intraoperative hypotension, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia were analyzed using logistic regression to see what influenced recovery quality.

Key Findings

  • The study found that the quality of anesthetic recovery in horses is influenced by a multitude of factors, with breed, age, duration of anesthesia and recovery, and emergency status emerging as significant predictors.
  • It further emphasized the vital role that managing and monitoring hypoxemia and hypotension have in enhancing recovery quality, as these factors are already recognized as potential determinants of recovery quality in horses.

Implications and Future Research

  • Despite these findings, the study did acknowledge that the specific effects these variables contribute to horses’ anesthetic recovery are still not well-researched, suggesting the need for further studies to refine perioperative management strategies and ultimately improve outcomes.

Cite This Article

APA
Román Durá B, Dunham O, Grulke S, Salciccia A, Dupont J, Sandersen C. (2025). A Retrospective Study on Pre- and Intraoperative Predictors on the Recovery Quality of Horses After General Anesthesia. Vet Sci, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12030262

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 3

Researcher Affiliations

Román Durá, Bienvenida
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Equids, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Dunham, Oliver
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Grulke, Sigrid
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Equids, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Salciccia, Alexandra
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Equids, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Dupont, Julien
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Equids, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Sandersen, Charlotte
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Equids, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
  • Department for Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, FARAH, ULiège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Joseph EJ, Love L, Mayakis M, Varner K. Preanesthetic Administration of Trazodone Does Not Impact Anesthetic Recovery Scores in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 6;15(19).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15192907pubmed: 41096502google scholar: lookup
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