Acupuncture therapy in a mare presenting cauda equina syndrome: case report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26605/medvet-v19n1-6940

Keywords:

cystitis, equine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, peripheral neuropathy, urovagina

Abstract

Urinary incontinence is uncommon in horses, being neurogenic the rarest type, and constitutes a therapeutic challenge. It can be associated with primary neuritis of the cauda equina segment, including those iatrogenic, resulting from epidural anesthesia or neurolytics injection with the intention of fraud in equestrian competitions, on the intent to abolish the tail movement. Practice poses risks to the animal's physical integrity, sometimes leading to permanent neurological deficits. This article reports the case of an 8-year-old mare of the Mangalarga Marchador breed, weighing 460kg, presenting rectum, tail and perineum paralysis, urinary incontinence with sabulous cystitis, resulting from a blockade intervention performed about a year ago and treated with acupuncture. The treatment was applied through dry needling, electroacupuncture, chromopuncture and moxibustion, alternating the points at each session according to clinical assessment. Sessions were held weekly for six months, resulting in the recovery of the rectum and perineum tonus, return to reproductive function by obtaining viable embryos, and maintenance of urinary tract health, with control of cystitis. Tail paralysis remained unchanged. It is concluded that acupuncture treatment was effective in almost completely reversing the neurological deficit, and enabled the recovery of the mare´s health, productivity and welfare.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bagley, R.S.; Mayhew, I.G. Exame clínico do sistema nervoso. In: Radostitis, O.M.; Mayhew, I.G.J.; Houston, D.M. Exame clínico e diagnóstico em veterinária. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan, 2002. p.384-421.

Ding, L.L.Q. et al. Acupuncture combined with moxibustion promote the recovery of spinal cord injury in correlation with Shh/Gli-1 signaling pathway. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 45(1): 106-116, 2022.

Ferguson, B. Técnicas de acupuntura veterinária e moxabustão. In: Xie, H.; Preast, V. Acupuntura Veterinária Xie. São Paulo: MedVet, 2011. p.333-344.

Fleming, P. Localização dos pontos Shu Dorsais Equinos: Tradicionais chineses versus de transposição. In: Shoen, A.M. Acupuntura Veterinária: da arte antiga à medicina moderna. Cap. 29. 2a Ed. São Paulo: Rocca, 2006. p.347-351.

Fonteque, J.H. et al. Choronic renal failure in equine due to ascending pyelonephritis predisposed by cauda equine syndrome: Case report. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 70(2): 347-352, 2018.

Furr, M.; Reed, S. Equine neurology. 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2015. 512p.

Glinski, M.H. Seleção de pontos. In: Shoen, A. M. Acupuntura Veterinária: da arte antiga à medicina moderna. 2ª ed. Cap. 8. São Paulo: Rocca, 2006. p.109-120.

Hayashi, A.M. Diagnóstico na Medicina Veterinária Tradicional Chinesa. In: Lobo Junior, J.E.S Acupuntura na prática clínica veterinária. São Caetano do Sul – SP: Interbook, 2012. p.64-65.

Hayashi, A.M.H. et al. S100? levels in CSF of nonambulatory dogs with intervertebral disk disease treated with electroacupuncture. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 2013: 1-8, 2013.

Hepworth-Warren, K. Tail alterations: an unnecessary and dangerous procedure. Equine Health Update for owners and veterinarians, 17(1): 1-2, 2015.

Hines, M. Differential diagnosis of urinary incontinence and cauda equina syndrome. In: Equine Neurology. 2nd ed. Jhon Willey & Sons, Inc. 2015. p.139-148.

Holt, P.E. Urinary incontinence in mature horses. Equine Veterinary Education, 9(2): 85-88, 1997.

Nishijima, E.; Lorenzi, L.P. Os oito princípios diagnósticos. In: Lobo Jr, J.E.S. Acupuntura na prática clínica veterinária. São Caetano do Sul: Interbook, 2012. p.27-34.

Rendle, D.I. et al. Long-term management of sabulous cystitis in five horses. Veterinary Record, 162(24): 783-787, 2008.

Schott II, H.C. Urinary incontinence and saboulus urolithiasis: chicken or egg? Equine Veterinary Education, 18(1):17-19, 2010.

Thoresen, A.S. Terapia equina de pontos Ting e terapia da banda coronária de Thoresen. In: Shoen, A.M. Acupuntura Veterinária: da arte antiga à medicina moderna. 2a ed. São Paulo: Rocca, 2006. p.478-490.

Valadão, C.; Duque, J.C.; Farias, A. Epidural opioids administration in dogs: A review. Ciência Rural, 32: 347-355, 2002.

Waldemarim, K.C.A. Teoria dos Zang-Fu. In: Lobo Junior, J.E.S. Acupuntura veterinária na prática clínica, 2012. p.35-56.

Wynn, S.G. et al. Pesquisa global de acupuntura: Estudos não traduzidos anteriormente. In: Shoen, A.M. Acupuntura Veterinária: da arte antiga à medicina moderna. 2a ed. São Paulo: Rocca, 2006. p.51-75

Xie, H.; Preast, V. Acupuntura Veterinária Xie. São Paulo: MedVet Ltda., 2011. 363p.

Xie, H.; Liu, H. Diagnóstico em equinos segundo a medicina tradicional chinesa. In: Shoen, A. M. Acupuntura Veterinária: da arte antiga à medicina moderna. 2ª ed. Cap. 38. São Paulo: Rocca, 2006. p.491-500.

Published

2025-04-30

How to Cite

Figueiredo, M. A. F., Scognamillo-Szabó, M. V. R., Souza , M. A. F., & Guimarães, J. S. (2025). Acupuncture therapy in a mare presenting cauda equina syndrome: case report. Medicina Veterinária, 19(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.26605/medvet-v19n1-6940

Issue

Section

Large animal clinic and surgery

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.