c sections

Re: c sections

Anthony Todd — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:46:20 GMT

[quote user="fluffygirl"] Its a difficult one![/quote]

We had a greyhound that didn't whelp til 78 days [or 79, can't remember] but it's a letter in the Vet. Record.

[ Veterinary Record 1976;98:100 doi:10.1136/vr.98.5.100] but I can't access the text.

Stud mating, as a racing dog. No doubt about dates at all.

All pups fine. A bit worrying at the time though, fortunately the owner was on our side......

Re: c sections

fluffygirl — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:52:15 GMT

Not long after graduation, I did a c-section on a Springer Spaniel bitch that a colleague of mine actually called on due dates as stated by the owner and an open cervix on clinical examination but no other real signs of whelping to speak of. Pulled out 2 very immature looking pups out of the 5 present before I realised that we were too early. O had got the dates wrong by 1 week (turned out to be a difference of opinion between husband and wife!?). Delivered pups died. Stitched uterus back up, gave course of synulox and bitch went on to whelp remaining 3 pups normally - all born alive and no problems.

Clients can put alot of pressure on to do a c-section without any real knowledge or understanding of dog reproduction. But from this experience I am just as cautious about going in too early as too late. Its a difficult one!

Brachycephalics a bit of a different matter.

Re: c sections

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:10:00 GMT

This has to be a judgement call. Personally I would have recommended waiting but I know how difficult clients can be when they are wanting guarantees. As there is a risk with primary inertia that the pups may die the client may not want to take the risk. Obviously the welfare of the bitch comes first but it isn't always easy to decide what is normal and what isn't. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had to do an emergency ovariohysterectomy after dead puppies have been left in there too long.

Re: c sections

bob lehner — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:48:14 GMT

No - 63 days post mating does not necessarily mean full term has been reached - 63 days post ovulation is supposed to be the figure you should look at. Because of the long viability of dog sperm in the genital tract of the female (upto 7 days) and willingness of bitch to mate prior to ovulation these two calculations may be rather different to each other. Far better to go on temperature drop, start of labour and fall in progesterone to indicate that birth is imminent. Ideally of course one would also know the ovulation date, having done pre-mating progesterone levels.

(Have to admit that if I sound rather knowledgeable on this it is purely as a result of having recently listened to an excellent webinar by Angelika von Heimendahl - http://thewebinarvet.com/virbac-webinars. Well worth a listen - free and still available).

Re: c sections

Simon Neuhoff — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:36:13 GMT

Timing a caesar is difficult at the best of times. Given the info you've supplied I would have waited, not jumped in.

Re: c sections

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:28:30 GMT

In those circumstances I would not do a ceaser.