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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract / Complications in equine anesthesia.
The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice2009; 24(3); 735-x; doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2008.10.002

Complications in equine anesthesia.

Abstract: General anesthesia of horses entails considerable risk of morbidity and mortality. A large-scale, multicenter study reported that the death rate from non-colic-related anesthetics was 0.9%, while the perianesthetic mortality rate at a single, busy equine surgical practice was somewhat more favorable, at 0.12%. While any perianesthetic death is devastating, mortality figures alone do not reflect the overall morbidity of equine anesthesia in terms of nonterminal events or injuries related to recovery. In some circumstances, recognition of perianesthetic complications may allow appropriate intervention to prevent the complication from worsening or progressing to mortality. This article describes some of the complications that may occur during and after general anesthesia of horses, and suggests ways to prevent or mitigate them.
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Publication Date: 2009-02-11 PubMed ID: 19203709DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2008.10.002Google 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.

The research is about the risks involved in general anesthesia of horses, highlighting the associated complications and suggesting methods to prevent or lessen these complications.

Introduction and Background

  • This research paper discusses one of the most challenging aspects of equine healthcare – the administration of general anesthesia to horses. The complications arising from equine anesthesia are considered significant, contributing to both morbidity and mortality rates among horses.
  • As per the paper, large-scale multicenter studies show that non-colic-related anesthesia-induced deaths constitute 0.9% of the cases. However, one specific equine surgical practice reported a much lower death rate of 0.12%, suggesting that outcomes may vary based on the practices followed at different centers.
  • The paper underlines that the death rate doesn’t give a full picture of the risks associated with horse anesthesia. Instead, it highlights that mortality figures do not detail the overall morbidity or the non-terminal complications which may occur during the recovery phase after anesthesia.

Perianesthetic Complications

  • The paper also addresses perianesthetic complications, issues that arise around the time of anesthesia. These complications do not necessarily lead to death but may cause significant medical distress or potential injury.
  • The paper suggests that recognizing and duly addressing these perianesthetic complications early can help prevent the condition from deteriorating or even turning fatal.

Prevention and Mitigation of Complications

  • The research paper doesn’t just highlight the risks and complications associated with equine anesthesia, but it also provides potential solutions. In its latter sections, the paper presents various suggestions and methods to prevent or lessen these complications.
  • The goal of these recommendations is to guide veterinary practitioners in effectively administering anesthesia to horses, thereby improving the safety and the overall outcomes.

Cite This Article

APA
Wagner AE. (2009). Complications in equine anesthesia. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 24(3), 735-x. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2008.10.002

Publication

The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
ISSN: 1558-4224
NlmUniqueID: 8511904
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 24
Issue: 3
Pages: 735-x

Researcher Affiliations

Wagner, Ann E
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. ann.wagner@colostate.edu

MeSH Terms

  • Anesthesia / adverse effects
  • Anesthesia / veterinary
  • Anesthesia Recovery Period
  • Animals
  • Horse Diseases / surgery
  • Horses
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Postoperative Complications / pathology
  • Postoperative Complications / veterinary
  • Risk Factors

References

This article includes 75 references

Citations

This article has been cited 24 times.
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