Methods of equine general anaesthesia in clinical practice

Abstract

Résumé Les problèmes particuliers se rapportant à l'anesthésie générale du cheval sont passés en revue. On considère les différentes techniques et notamment celles qu'on a recommandé pour l'emploi en pratique. Zusammenfassung Die besonderen Problems der Narkose von Pferden und eine Reihe von Wirkstoffen und Techniken werden besprochen, besonders diejenigen, die für die Verwendung in der Praxis empfohlen worden sind. Summary The particular problems of equine general anaesthesia are reviewed and a number of agents and techniques considered, particularly those which have been advocated for use in practice.

The effect of guaiphenesin on romifidine/ketamine anaesthesia in ponies

“…Anaesthesia is prolonged most easily under field conditions using intermittent bolus or continuous infusions (Crispin 1981;Davies and Swan 1997). Castration is normally a brief procedure, and in some horses can be completed within the duration of action of the induction agents.…”

Short duration general anaesthesia in the horse using guaiacol glycerine ether and thiopentone sodium

“…There remains a need in equine practice for a short duration anaesthetic technique that is safe and simple to use while producing adequate surgical conditions and uncomplicated recoveries. Many anaesthetic techniques have been described for field use (Crispin 1981;Taylor 1983) and, in particular, the combination of xylazine with ketamine (Hall and Taylor 1981) has been advocated. The combination of GGE with thiopentone has been shown to produce calm, controlled inductions together with smooth recoveries (Jackson and Lundvall 1970;Bishop 1978).…”

Use of a demand valve for postoperative administration of oxygen to horses

“…Arterial oxygen levels will only return to normal when the horse stands, although tensions do improve when the animal regains sternal recumbency (Mitchell and Littlejohn 1972). The period of lateral recumbency is, therefore, the time when the horse is most likely to be hypoxaemic and oxygenation of inspired gases is obviously desirable (Crispin 1981). Otherwise healthy horses may be able to tolerate a short period of hypoxaemia but in sick animals where there may be a combination of other factors such as hypovolaemia, anaemia or pre-existing respiratory disease, the hypoxaemia could prove fatal.…”