The aim of this study was to determine whether three acupuncture treatments affected thoroughbred racehorses in training. Heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and stride parameters (SP) during a 600m gallop were measured. Needles were inserted for 20 minutes into pre-selected acupuncture points in the treatment horses while those in the non-treatment group were haltered.
The delta values (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) of the groups were compared. There were no significant changes (p < 0.05) in the HRV indicators. The treatment group showed (delta median of treatment vs. non-treatment group) that the parasympathetic (PNS) indicators shifted towards inhibition of the vagal system (RMSSD = - 2.19 vs. 1.47; HF = - 37.19 vs. 19.42; SD1 = - 1.56 vs. 1.04). The delta medians of indicators associated with the combined effect of the PNS and sympathetic nervous system (SDNN = 4.39 vs. - 4.00; LF = 179.48 vs. - 397.26; SD2 = 8.55 vs. - 7.48); cardiac autonomic balance (LF/HF = 0.26 vs. - 0.32; LF norm = 14.23 vs. - 0.80; HF norm = - 4.78 vs. 3.54) and heart rate measures (Mean HR = 3.96 vs. - 3.00; Mean RR = - 169.72 vs. 107.54) showed a shift in opposite directions.
The SP results showed a significant increase in maximum stride count (p = 0.004). The delta medians showed a shift in opposite directions i.e., average stride length (-0.06 vs. 0.05), average stride count (0.31 vs. -0.26), maximum stride count (0.84 vs. -5.70), maximum speed (1.30 vs. -0.80) and stride length at maximum speed (0.13 vs. -0.01).
Thus, the non-treatment group seemed to perform better and were calmer, suggesting that a withdrawal period may be appropriate following acupuncture treatments. / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / AgriSETA bursary / Companion Animal Clinical Studies / MSc (Veterinary Sciences) / Unrestricted
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:up/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/81309 |
| Date | 08 1900 |
| Creators | Hartwigsen, Roselle |
| Contributors | Van Vollenhoven, Elize, hartwigsen_r@yahoo.com, Grant, Rina, Botha, Tanita |
| Publisher | University of Pretoria |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Rights | © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
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