Page 1090 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

Notify your insurers first. Always discuss the details of any operation with your insurers,

• since it is wise to obtain their agreement prior to proceeding. Some companies request an
VetBooks.ir additional premium to cover the extra risk. In an emergency, the insurers should be
notified as soon as it is possible to do so.

• Arrange for the shoes to be removed before any surgery, so that the horse does not

damage itself when lying down or standing after the anaesthetic. In an emergency this
can be done by the veterinary team.

• Check with your vet about starving the horse before surgery. In the past horses were
frequently starved prior to surgery, but starvation is thought to increase the risk of certain

types of post-anaesthetic colic or equine gastric ulceration, therefore it is not normally
necessary in most cases.

Arrange for the operation to be performed in the safest possible place. In order to carry out

major surgery, the horse should be admitted to an equine hospital where full theatre facilities
and vets with specialist skills in both anaesthesia and surgery are available. This reduces the
risks and, if problems do occur, more equipment and expertise are readily available. Some

surgery is done in the field, particularly relatively minor procedures such as castration, in
which case ensure there is a clean, empty paddock available. Check with your vet in advance

exactly what will be required. Nowadays many equine practices have good hospital facilities
available and therefore it is foolhardy to carry out major surgery in the field.

What an equine general anaesthetic involves

Planning phase. This vital phase may include giving painkillers and any other necessary
treatments in advance of surgery. A thorough check-up is carried out to detect any potential

dangers. The anaesthetic regime can then be modified to suit the individual horse or, if
necessary, the operation postponed until the horse is well enough to be anaesthetized. In

addition the horse’s temperament can be assessed. Usually the neck is clipped and a catheter
inserted into the jugular vein to provide a pain-free route for giving the anaesthetic injections

and for intravenous fluid therapy. The area for surgery may also be clipped to save time later.
Pre-anaesthetic. This often includes giving the horse a ‘pre-med’ injection as a tranquillizer,

which reduces anxiety and provides protection for the horse’s heart once anaesthetized. The
horse is then groomed, the feet washed and the tail bandaged.

Induction or start. Ideally the anaesthetic is induced or started in a padded box, so that the
horse lies down onto a soft surface. Initially the horse is heavily sedated and then, several

minutes later, an anaesthetic injection is given to render the horse unconscious.