Spadavecchia Claudia, Stucki Flurina, Moens Yves, Schatzmann Urs
Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Anaesthesiology Section, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Vet Anaesth Analg. 2002 Jan;29(1):20-28. doi: 10.1046/j.1467-2987.2001.00060.x. Epub 2016 Nov 15.
The aim of this study was to define and evaluate a combined inhalation-intravenous anaesthetic protocol for use in equine anaesthesia.
Prospective, randomized clinical trial.
Twenty-eight horses (body mass 522 ± 82; 330-700 kg [mean ± SD; range]) with a mean age of 6 ± 4 years (range: 2-18 years) presented to the university hospital for various surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia.
Animals were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups. Anaesthesia was maintained in 14 horses with halothane alone (H group). The mean end-tidal halothane concentration was 1.24%. In the second group (n = 14) anaesthesia was maintained with both halothane (end-tidal concentration 0.61%) and a continuous infusion of a ketamine-guaiphenesin mixture (HKG group). The two techniques were compared in terms of qualitative differences and cardiopulmonary effects.
The stability of anaesthesia was significantly greater in group HKG and the need for dobutamine to maintain blood pressure was significantly less. Recovery times and quality were acceptable in all cases. There were no significant differences between the groups.
The infusion of ketamine and guaiphenesin in horses receiving low inspired concentrations of halothane provides suitable surgical anaesthesia and lowers the risk of hypotension.
The anaesthetic technique described in this study is a useful and practical alternative to inhalation anaesthesia using halothane alone.
