Suspected venous air embolism in a horse

A horse which had had a caecal impaction for 10 days was treated by means of an ileocolostomy [corrected] but failed to respond satisfactorily. Before a second laparotomy was performed it was observed to have dislodged the extension set from a jugular catheter and air was heard being sucked into the vein. It became very agitated but was anaesthetised again and the impaction was removed through an incision in the apex of the colon [corrected] After recovering from the anaesthesia it developed severe signs of pruritus which subsided only after 12 hours. These signs were considered most likely to have resulted from a venous air embolism.