MRCVS,

A horse which had had a caecal impaction for 10 days was treated by means of an ileocaecostomy but failed to respond satisfactorily. Before a second laparotomy was performed it was observed to have dislodged the extension set from a jugular catheter and air was heard being sucked into the vein. It became very agitated but was anaesthetised again and the impaction was removed through an incision in the apex of the caecum. After recovering from the anaesthesia it developed severe signs of pruritus which subsided only after 12 hours. These signs were considered most likely to have resulted from a venous air embolism. CASE HISTORY A 12-YEAR-OLD, 502 kg thoroughbred gelding had had a caecal impaction for seven days and had been treated with intravenous fluids by the referring veterinary surgeon. It was dull but not exhibiting signs of pain, and its heart rate, packed cell volume and total protein concentration were within nor-mal limits. A small amount of soft ingesta could be palpated per rectum in the caudal caecal base but the caecum was not distended with gas. Normal peritoneal fluid was obtained b