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Behavioral responses following eight anesthetic induction protocols in horses
Ann E Wagner1, Khursheed R Mama1, Eugene P Steffey2
1Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
|April 14, 2017
Summary
Propofol combined with ketamine or thiopental improved horse anesthesia recovery. These combinations modified behaviors compared to individual drugs, suggesting enhanced early recovery quality in equine anesthesia.
Area of Science:
- Equine anesthesia
- Veterinary pharmacology
- Animal behavior
Background:
- Anesthetic protocols significantly influence induction and recovery behaviors in horses.
- Understanding these behaviors is crucial for optimizing anesthetic management and patient welfare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the behavioral characteristics during induction and recovery in horses anesthetized with eight different anesthetic drug protocols.
- To evaluate the impact of ketamine, propofol, and thiopental combinations on anesthetic emergence.
Main Methods:
- A randomized prospective experimental study involving eight horses.
- Horses received xylazine pre-medication followed by four different anesthetic protocols incorporating combinations of ketamine (KET), propofol (PRO), and thiopental (THIO).
- Induction and recovery quality were scored, and times to achieve recumbency, first movement, and standing were recorded.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in time to lateral recumbency and first movement were observed across protocols (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0133, respectively).
- Thiopental (THIO-8) resulted in the longest time to lateral recumbency and first movement, with poorer recovery scores.
- Combinations including propofol, particularly with ketamine (KET-1.5 + PRO-0.5), showed better induction and recovery quality.
Conclusions:
- Combining propofol with ketamine or thiopental alters behaviors associated with individual drug administration.
- Certain propofol-based combinations show potential for improving early anesthesia recovery quality in horses.