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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Retrospective evaluation of the impact of atropine administr...
Equine veterinary journal2024; doi: 10.1111/evj.14428

Retrospective evaluation of the impact of atropine administration on incidence of post-operative colic in healthy, isoflurane-anaesthetised horses.

Abstract: In anaesthetised horses, bradycardia secondary to high vagal tone can reduce cardiac output and blood pressure. The use of anticholinergics in horses is limited due to concerns about ileus and abdominal discomfort. This retrospective study sought to determine the prevalence of post-operative abdominal discomfort in healthy horses that received atropine under isoflurane anaesthesia. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of 222 general anaesthesia events between January 2019 and December 2019 was undertaken. Methods: One hundred and eleven horses that received atropine were identified, and 111 case match controls that did not receive atropine were also selected. Information gathered from the medical records included signalment, anaesthetic drugs, surgical procedures, duration of anaesthesia and surgery, dobutamine and atropine administration, and the occurrence of abdominal discomfort for 24 h after anaesthesia. After initial data analysis, a second cohort of records was assessed separately. The horses in this group were castrated under general anaesthesia (with or without atropine; n = 68). Logistic regression models and Fisher's exact tests were used to look for factors contributing to abdominal discomfort post-anaesthesia. The significance level was set to 5% (p < 0.05). Results: Atropine administration was not associated with the development of post-anaesthetic abdominal discomfort (OR = 2.121, 95% CI [0.767, 5.869]; p = 0.2). Overall, 18/222 (8.1%) incidences of abdominal discomfort were identified. All incidents occurred in colts undergoing castration. In a separate analysis of only horses anaesthetised for castration, atropine was associated with developing abdominal discomfort (OR = 3.143, 95% CI [1.082, 9.132]; p = 0.04). Conclusions: Atropine was not associated with post-operative abdominal discomfort except in colts undergoing castration. All episodes of discomfort were mild and resolved with minimal intervention. The potential impact of insufficient analgesia in horses undergoing castration is a confounding factor and requires prospective investigation. Conclusions: Overall, atropine at a dose of 0.006 mg/kg IV appears to be a safe method to treat bradycardia in otherwise healthy horses anaesthetised for orthopaedic and upper airway procedures. Further work is required to determine if atropine is safe for colts undergoing castration.
© 2024 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2024-10-29 PubMed ID: 39470146DOI: 10.1111/evj.14428Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The study explores the effect of atropine on incidences of post-operative colic in healthy horses anesthetized with isoflurane, finding that it does not generally cause abdominal discomfort except in colts following castration.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The research aims to assess the possibility of post-operative abdominal discomfort in healthy horses that were administered atropine under isoflurane anaesthesia. This consequential discomfort is a concern as it could lead to complications like ileus, obstructed bowel movements.
  • A retrospective evaluation of 222 general anaesthesia instances from January to December 2019 was conducted.
  • The study utilized two groups: 111 horses that received atropine and 111 control cases that did not.
  • The data extracted from medical records included details about the horses’ characteristics, anaesthetic drugs used, surgical procedures performed, duration of anaesthesia, the administration of dobutamine and atropine, and instances of abdominal discomfort within 24 hours after anaesthesia.
  • A second group solely comprising horses that underwent castration under general anaesthesia was separately analysed.
  • Statistical tools like logistic regression models and Fisher’s exact tests were employed to identify factors causing post-anaesthesia abdominal discomfort.

Results

  • The administration of atropine did not contribute to post-anaesthetic abdominal discomfort (with an odds ratio of 2.121 and a p-value of 0.2).
  • A total of 18 incidences constituting 8.1% of the population were identified as having abdominal discomfort after anaesthesia. Each of these cases involved colts undergoing castration.
  • A separate analysis of the group consisting only of horses anaesthetised for castration suggested that the use of atropine could lead to abdominal discomfort (with an odds ratio of 3.143 and the significance level of 0.04).

Conclusions

  • Atropine’s administration wasn’t generally related to post-operative abdominal discomfort, except in colts following castration. All episodes of discomfort were temporary and could be managed with minimal intervention.
  • The study reveals possible deficiencies in pain management for horses undergoing castration, offering an area for future investigations.
  • At a dose of 0.006 mg/kg IV, atropine appears to safely treat bradycardia in healthy horses anaesthetised, specifically for orthopaedic and upper airway procedures.
  • Additional research is needed to confirm atropine’s safety for use in colts undergoing castration.

Cite This Article

APA
Varner KM, Curtiss AL, Hogan PM, Love K, Dodam JR. (2024). Retrospective evaluation of the impact of atropine administration on incidence of post-operative colic in healthy, isoflurane-anaesthetised horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14428

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Varner, Kelley M
  • Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Curtiss, Alexandra L
  • Hogan Equine LLC, Cream Ridge, New Jersey, USA.
Hogan, Patricia M
  • Hogan Equine LLC, Cream Ridge, New Jersey, USA.
Love, Kim
  • K.R. Love Quantitative Consulting and Collaboration, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Dodam, John R
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.

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