Anesthetic Recovery

The risk of complications and catastrophic injury during recovery from even routine procedures is markedly higher than in most other domestic species. Among all the procedures commonly performed in veterinary medicine, recovery of equine patients from general anesthesia can be among the most precarious. A true free recovery is usually conducted in a padded recovery stall, although this method is occasionally used in a normal stall, paddock, round pen or similar areas. Sling recoveries are relatively rare due to their complicated nature and inherent effort. Suitable horses are those with significant musculoskeletal injuries, neurologic issues, or large size who cannot be otherwise assisted. Horses anesthetized using inhalants commonly have poor recoveries if they attempt to stand prior to eliminating a significant amount of the agent. In order to encourage the patient to lie in recovery longer and eliminate more of the anesthetic agent, additional sedation is often administered at this time.