Abstract
Objective
To report anesthetic-related complications and determine risks associated with anesthesia
in draft horses.
Study design
Retrospective study.
Animals
A total of 401 anesthetic records for draft horse breeds that underwent general anesthesia
from January 2010 through December 2020 were reviewed; horses euthanized during general
anesthesia were excluded.
Methods
Demographics, perioperative drugs used, procedure type and duration, time to extubation,
number of attempts to stand, use of sling in recovery and perioperative morbidity
and mortality were investigated. Morbidity and mortality statistical evaluation included
univariable logistic regression analysis and ordinal regression analysis.
Results
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I–II, ASA III–V and total mortality
rate for all cases was 0.69% (2/288), 6.19% (7/113) and 2.24% (9/401), respectively,
with Belgian horses being overrepresented (6/9). Cardiac arrest occurred in six out
of nine horses that died without euthanasia, and five out of six of these horses underwent
colic surgery. Factors associated with increased mortality risk included ASA status
of III–V, increased body weight, emergency status and horses presenting for colic.
Hypotension, hypercarbia and hypoxemia occurred in 56% (224/401), 46% (186/401) and
14% (58/401) of horses, respectively. During recovery from anesthesia, lighter horses
and horses undergoing shorter anesthetic procedures were more likely to be successful
on the first or second attempt to stand and were less likely to require a sling in
recovery.
Conclusions and clinical relevance
Draft horses undergoing general anesthesia had a higher mortality rate than previously
reported for all types and breeds of horses.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 11, 2022
Accepted:
December 5,
2022
Received in revised form:
December 5,
2022
Received:
August 12,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
