In a single practice setting, the fatality rate of horses under general anesthesia was found to be 0.12%. This rate is lower than the previously reported fatality rate for horses, and it is comparable with fatality rates for other species. Studies published between 1990 and 2002 estimated that the rate of equine anesthetic-related fatalities was ~ 1%. This rate is substantially higher than the rate of anesthetic deaths in companion animals (0.11%) and human patients (0.008%). Greater body size creates increased fatality risks in anesthetized horses compared with smaller species. This study was performed to determine the fatality rate of horses under general anesthesia in a single practice setting and to attempt to identify factors responsible for the fatalities.
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