The decision to treat, and with what, must be based on history, the cause of the inflammation, and the overall assessment of its significance. You and your veterinarian need to discuss the situation and agree on a course of action. There is a growing tendency by some practitioners to avoid infusion of antibiotics in favor of uterine lavage or other alternative therapy. This is based on experiences with resistant bacteria or yeast infections after prolonged antibiotic use. It is important to understand the concept of uterine resistance when managing a mare with a history of recurrent infection.
All mares develop an inflammation after breeding.
If that process is resolved quickly, pregnancy is possible. If the inflammation drags on for days, the embryo will not survive. Thus, mares resistant to infection are those with effective defense mechanisms. A key factor in uterine resistance is the ability of the uterus to empty itself after inflammation begins. Treatment administered 8-12 hours after breeding with oxytocin or oxytocin plus uterine lavage resulted in significant improvement in conception.