Success of different therapies for bacterial endometritis in stud farm practice.
Authors: Köhne Martin, Hegger Anna, Tönissen Anna, Hofbauer Lisa, Görgens Alexandra, Sieme Harald
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Treatment outcomes for bacterial endometritis in stud mares Bacterial endometritis remains a significant fertility challenge in stud farm practice, yet robust data comparing different therapeutic approaches have been limited. This retrospective analysis of 772 culture-positive cases across five German veterinary practices between 2018–2022 examined pregnancy outcomes following various antibiotic protocols, identifying β-haemolytic streptococci as the predominant pathogen in 92% of cases. The most commonly prescribed treatments were trimethoprim-sulfonamides (53%) and procaine-penicillin (29%), typically administered systemically rather than locally, with approximately half the mares receiving concurrent uterine lavage. First-cycle pregnancy rates reached 47%, climbing to 69% by season end—demonstrating that current German stud farm protocols achieve acceptable fertility outcomes despite considerable variation in treatment regimens. Treatment duration, individual veterinary practice, and the presence of clinical signs significantly influenced success rates, suggesting that standardisation of antibiotic protocols and consideration of mare-specific factors warrant further investigation to optimise outcomes for this costly reproductive condition.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Current German stud farm practices for bacterial endometritis achieve acceptable pregnancy outcomes (47% in first cycle), suggesting standard protocols are working reasonably well in practice
- •Systemic antibiotics are heavily favored over local uterine treatment; consider duration of treatment and clinical presentation when planning therapy for individual mares
- •Uterine lavage (used in 49% of cases) and uterotonics (42.2%) are common adjunctive treatments, but this study does not isolate their individual contribution to success
Key Findings
- •First cycle pregnancy rate after treatment was 47%, rising to 69% by end of season across 772 mares with positive uterine cultures
- •β-hemolytic streptococci were the most common isolate (n=707, 91.6% of cases)
- •Systemic antibiotic administration was used in 92.2% of cases (711/772), with trimethoprim-sulfonamides (53.1%) and procaine-penicillin (29.4%) being most common
- •Treatment success was significantly affected by duration of antibiotic treatment, veterinary practice, and presence of clinical signs