Pre-operative feeding effects on post-anaesthetic colic and faecal output in horses.
Authors: Lopes Ana, Aitkin Ella, Louro Luis Filipe
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Pre-operative Feeding and Post-anaesthetic Colic Risk Post-anaesthetic colic remains a significant complication following general anaesthesia in horses, yet the optimal pre-operative feeding strategy to minimise this risk has lacked robust evidence. Lopes and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 620 equine cases undergoing non-abdominal surgery, stratifying horses by pre-operative fasting status and using multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for post-anaesthetic colic and assess differences in faecal output and water intake between groups. Fasting emerged as an independent risk factor, increasing colic odds by 2.7-fold (95% CI 1.4–5.5), alongside surgery duration and increasing age; notably, non-fasted horses produced significantly more manure post-operatively (0.44 versus 0.38 piles/hour in the first 24 hours; p<0.001) and maintained higher pre-operative water intake. These findings challenge conventional anaesthetic protocols and suggest that pre-operative feeding may protect against post-anaesthetic colic through improved gastrointestinal motility and hydration status, though the retrospective design and modest predictive model accuracy warrant cautious interpretation. For practitioners, this data supports a case for re-evaluating strict fasting protocols in equine anaesthesia, particularly where facility and individual horse circumstances permit controlled pre-operative nutrition—a potentially significant shift in perioperative management that could meaningfully reduce colic complications.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Consider reconsidering strict pre-operative fasting protocols in equine anaesthesia, as fasting appears to increase post-anaesthetic colic risk rather than prevent it
- •Allowing pre-operative feeding and water intake is associated with better post-operative faecal output and reduced colic complications
- •Older horses and those undergoing prolonged surgery require additional risk mitigation strategies for post-anaesthetic colic
Key Findings
- •Pre-operative fasting increased risk of post-anaesthetic colic (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4–5.5, p=0.005)
- •Non-fasted horses produced significantly more manure in first 24 h post-anaesthesia (0.44 vs 0.38 piles/h, p<0.001)
- •Increased surgery duration and increasing age were also significantly associated with post-anaesthetic colic
- •Non-fasted horses had higher water intake 12 h pre-anaesthesia (1.02 vs 0.88 L/h, p<0.001)