Repetitive injectable anesthesia in a 27-year-old horse

A 27-year-old horse was anesthetized 3 times a week for 4 weeks, to facilitate cobalt therapy of a squamous cell carcinoma in the left paranasal sinus. Limitations of facilities required transport of the anesthetized horse to and from the cobalt therapy room, therefore, injectable anesthesia was used. Initially, the horse was preanesthetized with xylazine (at 1.1 mg/kg IV) and butorphanol (0.04 mg/kg IV). After 3 anesthetic episodes, the xylazine dose was reduced to 0.4 mg/kg IV and the butorphanol was deleted from the regimen. Tiletamine-zolazepam (1.1 mg/kg IV) was used for induction and maintenance of anesthesia (although on 2 occasions a bolus of ketamine was used to maintain immobility). The length of the procedure varied from 10-45 minutes, and the recovery times to sternal and standing varied from 23-76 and 55-105 minutes respectively. Although numerous complications might be expected given the age of this horse and the physiologic and metabolic demands of repetitive injectable anesthetics, none were observed.