THERIOGENOLOGY (MARE) How to Use an Epidural in a Field Situation for Analgesia or Local Anesthesia Jenifer R. Gold, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM Author’s address: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77845; e-mail:
[email protected]. © 2008 AAEP. 1. Introduction creased risk of motor blockage and ataxia is also The use of the epidural space for administration of present. drugs for analgesia and anesthetic has become fairly The purposes of this paper are to describe how to common in the horse. An epidural injection can be perform a caudal epidural injection in the field administered easily in the field to assist with a va- quickly and safely and to provide examples of med- riety of issues including but not limited to dystocia, ications that can be used. rectal prolapse, uterine prolapse, surgery of the rec- tum, vagina, perineum and/or bladder/urethra as 2. Materials and Methods well as pain control. The epidural space is accessi- In review, the spinal cord extends distally to the ble at the lumbosacral joint (cranial epidural) or caudal side of the second sacral vertebrae. This is caudal to the sacrum (caudal epidural). The caudal just caudal to the sacroiliac joint. The landmark epidural (sacrococcygeal or C1–C2 space) is the pre- for the epidural injection is located by finding the ferred space to use, because it is easier and safer to first movable space at the tail head. Either the first perform in the field. or second space can be used. The tail is moved up The caudal epidural space has no risk for dural or and down to allow for palpation of the intervertebral CSF puncture and less risk for motor blockade and spaces.