Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could assist vets managing persistent mating-induced endometritis (PMIE), a chronic inflammation of the lining of the uterine wall after breeding or artificial insemination, which is a leading cause of reduced fertility in horses.

Approximately 15% of Thoroughbred broodmares are thought to be negatively affected by PMIE.

Recently, one study showed that dexamethasone can be used to successfully treat PMIE. Considering the safety issues surrounding systemic use of corticosteroids, Christine Aurich, DVM, PhD, professor at the Graf Lehndorff Institute at the Vienna University of Veterinary Sciences, wanted to determine if NSAIDs had comparative positive effects on fertility.

Aurich and colleague H. Rojer, from the University’s Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, examined 17 barren client-owned mares referred to the Centre with a history of PMIE. They included nine mares in the control group while the remaining eight mares were treated with an oral NSAID (vedaprofen) twice daily, starting one day before insemination and continuing until one day after ovulation