Success of different therapies for bacterial endometritis in stud farm practice.

The research article discusses the occurrence and various treatments of bacterial endometritis in mares, detailing the relative success rates in a German stud farm context.

Objective of the Research

• The main goal of this study was to gather data from mares diagnosed with intrauterine bacterial growth and analyze the effectiveness of different therapies for bacterial endometritis practiced in German stud farms. The specific focus was on the success rate of each treatment, inferred from the pregnancy results post-treatment.

Methodology of the Study

• For this research, the data for mares with positive uterine culture results was retrospectively collected from five veterinary practices between the years 2018 and 2022.
• Information about 30 different factors including details about the mare, diagnosis, therapy, and pregnancy rate were recorded for 772 cases of bacterial endometritis. These factors were then analyzed to determine which ones impacted the success rate of the treatment procedures used.
• Statistical analysis of these correlations was tested using a binomial logistic regression.

Findings

• The most common bacteria detected in the majority of the cases was β-hemolytic streptococci.
• The treatments administered for the cases included a variety of antibiotics. The most commonly used were trimethoprim-sulfonamides, procaine-penicillin, and marbofloxacin. Some mares did not receive any antibiotic therapy.
• Most antibiotic treatments were administered systemically. Only a small number of cases used local antibiotic administration.
• Nearly half of the mares received uterine lavage and around 42.2% were administered with uterotonic drugs.
• Various breeding programs were used including artificial insemination with chilled or frozen semen, the transfer of fresh or cryopreserved embryos, and natural cover.
• The pregnancy rate in the first cycle after treatment was found to be 47%, although this increased to 69% by the end of the season.

Conclusion

• The research concludes that the various treatment practices used resulted in acceptable pregnancy results in the mares.
• The multiple binomial logistic regression analysis identified particular factors that affected the pregnancy outcome. These included the length of antibiotic treatment, the veterinary practice employed, and the presence of clinical signs.