Dystocia (Prolonged Birth) in Dogs
Introduction
Dystocia in Dogs Guide: Veterinary reviewed information that explains Dystocia in dogs. Get started and see what choices you and your vet can make to successfully manage Dystocia in Dogs.
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Dystocia – Definition
Dystocia is defined as difficulty in the normal vaginal delivery of a baby. It is also referred to as ineffective labor or difficult or prolonged parturition. In veterinary lingo, “parturition” is the act or process of giving birth to a litter of puppies. This is also called “whelping” a litter. The length of time between the births of puppies in a single litter can vary considerably, both within and between different breeds of domestic dogs. When that interval, or the overall duration of labor, extends beyond the upper-end of what is considered to be normal, the birth is deemed difficult, and dystocia is said to exist. Dystocia is uncommon in well-conditioned, healthy young to middle-aged bitches. It is more commonly a condition seen in overweight or older dams.
Dystocia can be caused by a number of things, including abnormalities attributable to the mother, to the puppies or to both. The basic causes typically involve some physical obstruction of the birth canal as it passes through the pelvis, or some type of uterine inertia where the dam’s uterine muscles do not contract forcefully enough to push the puppies out. Uterine inertia in dogs can be either primary, which refers to insufficient stimulation to start
Prolonged parturition – or an abnormally long duration of labor and whelping of a litter - is called “dystocia.” Dystocia can result in very serious consequences both for the mother and for her puppies. In many cases, a cesarean section (C-section) will be necessary to save the life of the dam and as many of her puppies as possible. Unfortunately, in some cases, especially in puppy-mill and backyard breeding situations, the mother and her litter
When presented with a pregnant bitch who is in labor but is obviously having a difficult time delivering her puppies, the veterinarian will quickly take a thorough reproductive history from the owner, including the dates that the bitch was bred, a history of her past litters and deliveries (if any), a general medical history and whether any ovulation timing was performed prior to mating. A prompt physical examination may be unremarkable or may reveal symptoms
The goals of treating a bitch with dystocia are to facilitate the delivery of live, healthy puppies with minimal damage or distress to the dam, and also to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention if reasonably possible. The reproductive capacity of a valuable bitch is very important to most breeders. If the bitch is suffering from uterine inertia or intractable pain, or if there are obvious physical obstructions that prevent a normal vaginal delivery, surgery will be