Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) recently completed a study aimed at better characterizing equine post-anesthetic myelopathy, a rare by deadly neurologic complication of general anesthesia.

"Post-anesthetic myelopathy (PAM) has been reported mostly in young horses anesthetized in dorsal recumbency," explained Stavros Yiannikouris, DVM, MS, equine surgery instructor at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. "Upon recovery or shortly thereafter, the horses were mentally alert but had a loss of voluntary movement in the hind limbs and tail."

Yiannikouris said in most cases veterinarians administered supportive care, but all horses died or were euthanized shortly after the onset of signs.

"Due to the rare occurrence of equine PAM, many anesthetists and surgeons have not encountered this complication," he said