CCTs.8–10,32 Postsurgical pain after ovariohysterectomy
was not significantly different among groups receiving
ear acupuncture, buprenorphine, or no treatment.31
Studies of induction of visceral pain in horses to test
the effects of electroacupuncture indicated conflicting
results.22,23 Two CCTs8,9 assessing induced cutaneous
pain in horses also indicated conflicting results, whereas
a further RCT24 indicated beneficial intergroup differences
(Table 1). A CCT assessing induced cutaneous
pain in sheep10 indicated beneficial effects for electroacupuncture.
For other trials,25,32 some effects were
reported, but none detailed the results of intergroup
analyses (Table 1). Methodologic quality of these trials
was generally low. These data require further, more
rigorous investigations.