How to: Prevent and Manage Equine Post Anaesthetic Neuropathies and Myopathies

Post anaesthetic peripheral neuropathy
Post anaesthetic neuropathy may accompany myopathy (e.g. radial neuropathy often accompanies triceps myopathy), or may present on its own: facial neuropathy, femoral neuropathy or radial neuropathy. On its own, it is a form of neuropraxia where poor padding or positioning causes neural ischaemia.

Presentation and management
Neurological dysfunction, but not usually pain, is apparent in recovery, although some animals may panic from the lack of function. Facial paresis/paralysis causes little problem to a horse recovering from anaesthesia. Bilateral femoral neuropathy, however, may render a horse unable to stand during recovery from anaesthesia, whereas horses usually manage to stand with unilateral radial neuropathy or unilateral femoral neuropathy. With supportive nursing care (easier in standing patients), recovery of neurological function is normally possible. The speed of return of function depends upon the site and degree of nerve damage, but as nerves regenerate at around 1 mm per day, recovery can be prolonged. [...]