Randomized Comparative Trial of Acupuncture and Exercise Versus Uterine Ecbolics in the Treatment of Persistent Postbreeding Endometritis in Mares

Abstract

Although exercise and acupuncture are frequently used therapies to treat persistent postbreeding endometritis, their efficacy to date is unproven. The objective of this study was to determine if exercise and acupuncture are effective methods to reduce intrauterine fluid and compare the effectiveness of these treatments to the use of uterine ecbolics. Twelve mares susceptible to postbreeding endometritis were enrolled in the study with a randomized cross-over design using both positive and negative controls. During each estrous cycle, mares were randomized into one of six treatment groups, including stall rest (SR), oxytocin, cloprostenol, exercise, electroacupuncture, and oxytocin and exercise. Each mare was challenged with an insemination dose of 500 × 10⁶ dead sperm at time 0 hours. Intrauterine fluid measurements were taken at 0, 4, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours postbreeding. Associations between treatment efficacy and fluid clearance were investigated using a random-effects logistic regression model that controlled for positive uterine culture. Compared with the SR negative control, exercise was the most effective treatment and had 29.7 times increased odds of fluid clearance. The second most effective treatment was oxytocin alone, with 16.9 times increased odds of fluid clearance. This was followed by cloprostenol that had 10.6 greater odds of fluid clearance, and finally, the treatment that combined exercise with oxytocin had 8.4 times greater odds of fluid clearance. Results from this study confirm that exercise and exercise combined with oxytocin are effective methods to clear intrauterine fluid.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Exercise; Mare; Postbreeding endometritis.