Premature recovery from general anaesthesia in an adult Limousin bull

This case report describes the premature and unanticipated recovery of a bull from general anaesthesia for penile surgery. Retrospective review revealed: (i) the elements of case management that contributed to this critical event; and (ii) other measures that allowed prompt control, thus minimising risk to the subject and personnel. The case highlights the challenges of monitoring depth of anaesthesia in large ruminants and illustrates that non-surgical stimuli such as hoisting can be equally, if not more, stimulating than surgery itself. Finally, practical recommendations are made to: (i) reduce the likelihood of this problem recurring; and (ii) limit the risk of harm to patient or personnel if it does.