Morbidity, mortality, and risk of general anesthesia in horses.
Abstract: General anesthesia in horses carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared with other species. In recent years the number and complexity of epidemiologic studies in equine anesthesia has increased. The ability to interpret such studies and understand epidemiologic terminology is vital for veterinarians for them to make potential improvements to their anesthetic practice and to allow them to communicate effectively the findings of such studies to colleagues and owners. This article provides the equine clinician with a basic understanding of the methodologies that can be used in observational epidemiologic studies, and reviews the literature on equine anesthetic morbidity, mortality, and risk.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2012-12-23 PubMed ID: 23498043DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2012.11.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses the elevated risks associated with general anesthesia in horses, providing a comprehensive review of existing literature and epidemiology studies. It aims to improve understanding and interpretation of such studies among veterinarians, which can lead to improvements in anesthetic practices.
Understanding Epidemiologic Studies in Equine Anesthesia
- The research starts with a focus on equipping the horse clinician with knowledge about the methodologies applied in observational epidemiological studies. It is essential as these methodologies form the foundation of understanding why anesthesia is riskier in horses than in other species.
- Understanding the methodologies applied in observational epidemiological studies would also enable veterinarians to make potential improvements to their anesthesia practices, hence reducing the risks involved.
Review of the Literature on Equine Anesthetic Morbidity and Mortality
- Next, the article delves into a literature review to help better understand the rate and causes of anesthetic-related morbidity (disease occurrence) and mortality (death) in horses, offering greater insight for risk assessment and management strategies in clinical scenarios.
Communication of Findings
- The research emphasizes effective communication of such studies’ findings to colleagues and horse owners, enabling clear understanding and fostering better decision-making in regard to the use of anesthesia in horses. This communication is crucial as it directly affects treatment choices and outcomes for the horses.
Evaluation of Risk
- The article also delves into risk analysis and discusses how understanding and interpreting the evidence can enhance patient care by allowing clinicians to better evaluate risk factors. This evaluation is crucial for veterinarians to determine whether the benefits of a planned procedure outweigh the potential risks associated with general anesthesia.
Cite This Article
APA
Senior JM.
(2012).
Morbidity, mortality, and risk of general anesthesia in horses.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 29(1), 1-18.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2012.11.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, South Wirral CH64 7TE, UK. J.M.Senior@liverpool.ac.uk
MeSH Terms
- Anesthesia, General / mortality
- Anesthesia, General / veterinary
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses / physiology
- Morbidity
- Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
- Postoperative Complications / mortality
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Risk Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Thorn CA, Wilson DV, Wang S, Horne WA. Impact of sequential administration of detomidine, butorphanol, and midazolam on sedation, ataxia, stimulus response, and bispectral index in horses. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1691137.
- 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).
- Román Durá B, Dunham O, Grulke S, Salciccia A, Dupont J, Sandersen C. A Retrospective Study on Pre- and Intraoperative Predictors on the Recovery Quality of Horses After General Anesthesia. Vet Sci 2025 Mar 11;12(3).
- Brandenberger O, Kalinovskiy A, Körner J, Genn H, Burger R, Leser S. Effect of Bio-Electro-Magnetic-Energy-Regulation (BEMER) Horse Therapy on Cardiopulmonary Function and Recovery Quality After Isoflurane Anesthesia in 100 Horses Subjected to Pars-Plana Vitrectomy: An Investigator-Blinded Clinical Study. Animals (Basel) 2024 Dec 18;14(24).
- Ogden NKE, Winderickx K, Bennell A, Stack JD. Computed tomography of the equine caudal spine and pelvis: Technique, image quality and anatomical variation in 56 clinical cases (2018-2023). Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1265-1278.
- Liu G, Zhang J, Zhang L, Yuan L, Wang X, Tursunmamat D. Comparison of spinal anesthesia and local anesthesia in percutaneous interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy for L5/S1 disc herniation: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2024 Oct 2;25(1):774.
- Fesmire CC, Peal B, Ruff J, Moyer E, McParland TJ, Derks K, O'Neil E, Emke C, Johnson B, Ghosh S, Petrella RA, DeWitt MR, Prange T, Fogle C, Sano MB. Investigation of integrated time nanosecond pulse irreversible electroporation against spontaneous equine melanoma. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1232650.
- Troya-Portillo L, López-Sanromán J, Villalba-Orero M, Santiago-Llorente I. Cardiorespiratory, Sedative and Antinociceptive Effects of a Medetomidine Constant Rate Infusion with Morphine, Ketamine or Both. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 13;11(7).
- Gozalo-Marcilla M, Redondo JI, Johnston M, Taylor P, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R. CEPEF4: update and plan. Vet Anaesth Analg 2020 Sep;47(5):724-725.
- Casola C, Pot SA, Lavaud A, Voelter K. Corneal cross-linking as a treatment for corneal dystrophy with secondary bacterial infection in a Friesian horse. Clin Case Rep 2020 Apr;8(4):709-715.
- Byron CR, DeWitt MR, Latouche EL, Davalos RV, Robertson JL. Treatment of Infiltrative Superficial Tumors in Awake Standing Horses Using Novel High-Frequency Pulsed Electrical Fields. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:265.
- Modesto RB, Rodgerson DH, Masciarelli AE, Spirito M. Standing placement of transphyseal screw in the distal radius in 8 Thoroughbred yearlings. Can Vet J 2015 Jun;56(6):605-9.
- Ishizuka T, Tamura J, Nagaro T, Sudo K, Itami T, Umar MA, Miyoshi K, Sano T, Yamashita K. Effects of intermittent positive pressure ventilation on cardiopulmonary function in horses anesthetized with total intravenous anesthesia using combination of medetomidine, lidocaine, butorphanol and propofol (MLBP-TIVA). J Vet Med Sci 2014 Dec;76(12):1577-82.
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