The diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in the mare: yesterday and today.
Abstract: Diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in the mare has been controversial and mostly empirical. The lack or inability of researchers to establish or develop a model that can serve as a standard or control makes this area of equine reproduction difficult to address scientifically. However, major advances have been made, particularly with the demonstration of the importance of uterine contractility in the elimination of bacteria, fluid, and inflammatory products from the uterus after breeding. This review provides a historical perspective of what has been done, and where we are now, in the approach to the diagnosis and therapy of endometritis in the mare.
Publication Date: 2008-05-29 PubMed ID: 18513792DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.05.040Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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The research article provides a historical overview and current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of endometritis, a reproductive condition in mares. It underscores key advancements, highlighting the role of uterine contractility in eliminating bacterial, fluid, and inflammatory products post-breeding.
Issue of Contestation and Empiricism in Endometritis Management
The article makes it clear that in equine reproduction research, the diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in mares have often provoked disagreements and have been largely based on empirical data. Some reasons for these issues include:
- The lack of a standard model that can serve as a control for research
- The difficulty in establishing such a model due to the complexities of the condition
Advancements in Understanding Endometritis
Despite the challenges, the article points out recent strides made in understanding and managing endometritis. Particularly, it mentions a remarkable discovery concerning the role of uterine contractility in the horse’s reproductive health. The main points highlighted include:
- Uterine contractility (the ability of the uterus to contract and relax) plays a crucial role in expelling bacteria, fluid, and inflammation-causing products from the uterus after a mare is bred
- This elimination process is critical in preventing or addressing endometritis – an inflammation or infection of the uterus
Historical and Current Approach in Endometritis Management
The article provides both a retrospective and contemporary analysis of how endometritis in mares has been diagnosed and treated. Key points in this section include:
- The evolution of approaches and strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition
- A look at how much progress has been made in this field of equine reproduction, and what present techniques are employed
- A hint at potential future directions, given the recent scientific advancements discussed
Cite This Article
APA
Liu IK, Troedsson MH.
(2008).
The diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in the mare: yesterday and today.
Theriogenology, 70(3), 415-420.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.05.040 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. ikliu@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Endometritis / therapy
- Endometritis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Ding X, Cui X, Shi J, Cheng X, Yao D, Gao Y, Zhang Y. Construction of a model of endometritis in domestic rabbits using equine-derived pathogens and evaluation of therapeutic effect of sensitive drugs. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1064522.
- Martini G, Bucci R, Parrillo S, Carluccio A, Pisu MC. Treatment of a Recurrent Pyometra by Surgical Uterine Drainage in a Main Coon Cat. Vet Sci 2023 Jan 15;10(1).
- Niikura T, Tsogtgerel M, Niikura C, Wada H, Kanzawa S, Fujiwara T, Nambo Y. Effect of prostaglandin F2(α) administration on uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts in Japanese heavy draft horses. J Equine Sci 2021 Dec;32(4):117-124.
- Köhne M, Kuhlmann M, Tönißen A, Martinsson G, Sieme H. Diagnostic and Treatment Practices of Equine Endometritis-A Questionnaire. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:547.
- Canisso IF, Segabinazzi LGTM, Fedorka CE. Persistent Breeding-Induced Endometritis in Mares - a Multifaceted Challenge: From Clinical Aspects to Immunopathogenesis and Pathobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2020 Feb 20;21(4).
- Buczkowska J, Kozdrowski R, Nowak M, Raś A, Staroniewicz Z, Siemieniuch MJ. Comparison of the biopsy and cytobrush techniques for diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in mares. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2014 Apr 4;12:27.
- Aitken GJ. Subclinical fungal endometritis in an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare. Can Vet J 2012 Feb;53(2):196-8.
- Kalpokas I, Perdigón F, Rivero R, Talmon M, Sartore I, Viñoles C. Effect of a povidone-iodine intrauterine infusion on progesterone levels and endometrial steroid receptor expression in mares. Acta Vet Scand 2010 Dec 16;52(1):66.
- Mojsym W, Kowalik S, Chałabis-Mazurek A, Janczarek I, Kędzierski W. Does the Relationship Between Microelements (Copper, Zinc and Selenium) and Proinflammatory Proteins (IL-6, IL-8 and Tissue Factor) Have Diagnostic Value in Equine Medicine?. Int J Mol Sci 2025 Oct 27;26(21).
- Ferreira CSC, Pinna AE, Dos Santos IPF, Dias MCR, Dos Santos NSL, Bragueroli SDS, Quintino PM, Almeida GB, Penna BA, da Rocha EMDS, de Souza GN, Barbosa CG, de Jesus VLT, Jacob JCF. Powerflow Doppler Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Mares with and Without Endometritis. Vet Sci 2025 Sep 28;12(10).
- Yáñez Ramil U, Jezierska S, Krupa M, Bogado Pascottini O. Fundamentals of microbiome-based therapies for reproductive tract inflammatory diseases in domestic animals. Anim Reprod 2025;22(3):e20250030.
- Zhang X, Gao Y, Mai Z, Li Y, Wang J, Zhao X, Zhang Y. Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Plasma Differences between Mares with Endometritis and Healthy Ones. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 29;14(13).
- Wójtowicz A, Molcan T, Lukasik K, Żebrowska E, Pawlina-Tyszko K, Gurgul A, Szmatoła T, Bugno-Poniewierska M, Ferreira-Dias G, Skarzynski DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A. The potential role of miRNAs and regulation of their expression in the development of mare endometrial fibrosis. Sci Rep 2023 Sep 24;13(1):15938.
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