Anesthetic risk in horses is greater than that experienced in people and dogs and cats. The reasons for the increased risk are multifactorial and complex . This presentation describes what is known about the factors increasing or decreasing the risk of anesthesia and discuss a method of estimating the risk of morbidity associated with surgery and anesthesia prior to induction. Adoption of the methods may assist surgeons and anesthetists in planning their perioperative procedures to improve outcomes.
