Cervical spinal cord compression may affect anesthetic recovery quality and seizure incidence in horses after myelography.

Horses with cervical compression need close seizure monitoring for 24 hours post-myelography; heavier horses need enhanced recovery attention.

This retrospective observational study evaluated anesthetic recovery quality and seizure incidence in horses undergoing cervical myelography, comparing those with and without cervical spinal cord compression. Medical records from January 2017 to December 2022 were reviewed, yielding 194 eligible cases out of 270 total (44 compression, 150 noncompression). Cases with incomplete records, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, or non-standard anesthetic protocols were excluded. Demographic data, ataxia scores, and anesthetic management variables were analyzed using multivariable regression models. Key findings revealed that increased body weight was significantly associated with worse anesthetic recovery quality (RRR 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.08), and cervical spinal cord compression was associated with a potentially worse recovery (RRR 8.89; 95% CI, 1.84–42.97). Horses with compressive lesions demonstrated a higher incidence of seizures in the late recovery period (within 24 hours post-myelography), though this finding did not reach statistical significance. Importantly, seizure risk was not elevated during immediate recovery. The association between body weight and poor recovery was independent of age, breed, and ataxia status. These results suggest that heavier horses warrant heightened attention during the recovery phase, and horses with confirmed cervical compression should be closely monitored for seizure activity during the first 24 hours following myelography. The study provides clinically actionable guidance for perioperative management of this patient population, despite limitations inherent to retrospective design and sample size constraints within the compression subgroup.

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