Randomized Comparative Trial of Acupuncture and Exercise Versus Uterine Ecbolics in the Treatment of Persistent Postbreeding Endometritis in Mares.
Authors: Swift Laura A, Christensen Bruce W, Samocha Mollie B, le Jeune Sarah S, Millares-Ramirez Esther M, Dujovne Ghislaine A
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Acupuncture and Exercise for Persistent Postbreeding Endometritis in Mares Persistent postbreeding endometritis remains a significant fertility challenge in mares, yet the evidence base for commonly prescribed therapies such as exercise and acupuncture has been limited. Swift and colleagues conducted a randomised cross-over trial using 12 susceptible mares challenged with insemination of 500 × 10⁶ dead sperm, comparing six treatments (stall rest, oxytocin, cloprostenol, exercise, electroacupuncture, and combined exercise with oxytocin) and measuring intrauterine fluid accumulation at multiple timepoints over 96 hours. Exercise emerged as remarkably effective, conferring 29.7 times greater odds of fluid clearance compared to stall rest alone, with oxytocin monotherapy ranking second at 16.9-fold improvement; notably, electroacupuncture showed no significant benefit over negative control, and combining exercise with oxytocin actually reduced efficacy compared to exercise alone (8.4-fold odds). For equine practitioners managing mares with fluid retention, these findings provide robust evidence supporting exercise as a first-line intervention—substantially outperforming pharmaceutical alternatives and suggesting that movement-based protocols warrant prioritisation in breeding soundness protocols and postbreeding management strategies.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Exercise is the most effective single treatment for clearing intrauterine fluid in mares with postbreeding endometritis and should be the first-line recommendation
- •Oxytocin alone is the second-best option if exercise is not feasible, and surprisingly combining it with exercise reduced efficacy
- •This is one of the first studies to provide evidence that acupuncture and exercise actually work for this condition, moving beyond anecdotal use
Key Findings
- •Exercise alone was most effective for fluid clearance with 29.7 times increased odds compared to stall rest control
- •Oxytocin alone showed 16.9 times increased odds of fluid clearance
- •Cloprostenol demonstrated 10.6 times increased odds of fluid clearance
- •Combined exercise and oxytocin treatment had 8.4 times increased odds of fluid clearance, less effective than exercise alone