Canine dystocia refers to an obstetric disease in which the fetus cannot be delivered smoothly when the pregnancy in the dog reaches full term. Normal labor and some initial difficult labor can transform into each other under certain conditions. External disturbances and wrong intervention can turn a normal birth into a difficult birth; however, possible dystocia can be prevented with timely diagnosis and midwifery. During dystocia, if it is not handled promptly or improperly, it will not only cause the death of the female dog and the fetus, but even if the female dog survives, reproductive organ diseases often occur, leading to future infertility. Therefore, it is very important to actively prevent and correctly handle dystocia.

Boxer Dog

1. Clinical manifestations of dystocia

(1) The normal expected date of delivery of a female dog is 58 to 63 days, usually 60 to 62 days, and the pregnancy period of a female dog exceeds 72 days.

(2) The female dog shows signs of prepartum such as holding things in her mouth, making nests, and frequently working hard, accompanied by a small amount of urine. After 6 to 10 hours, the fetus has not yet been born.

(3) The fetal water has flowed out for 2 to 3 hours, but there is no abnormality.

(4) Vulvar secretions are green, but no fetus is produced.

(5) After giving birth to one or more babies, there is no continued contraction for more than 4 hours, but there is still a fetus on abdominal palpation or in the birth canal.

(6) Abnormal birth canal, such as pelvic fracture, fetus stuck in the birth canal, etc.

2. Preventive measures

To prevent dystocia in dogs, many aspects such as dog feeding and management, disease and breeding must be considered.

(1) Appropriate exercise can promote blood circulation of the mother and fetus, enhance metabolism, ensure the health of the mother and fetus, and facilitate delivery. Therefore, exercise should have certain rules and be consistent. Generally, you should exercise for 2 hours a day in the first trimester, about 3 hours a day in the late pregnancy, and you can exercise indoors 2 to 3 days before delivery. However, it should be noted that in the first 3 weeks of pregnancy, miscarriage is most likely to occur, so strenuous exercise is not allowed. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy (around 6 weeks), the female dog’s abdomen begins to enlarge and moves slowly. At this time, strenuous exercise should be avoided jumping movements and passing through narrow aisles, and the amount of exercise should be reduced.

(2) Reasonably control the nutrition of the female dog. After pregnancy, the female dog should pay attention to the supply of protein, energy, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, etc. according to the nutritional needs of different periods. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the number of feedings should be appropriately increased. The amount of feeding should be determined according to the specific situation of the female dog. It is not appropriate to Too fat, but not too thin, to avoid weakness during delivery or overnutrition in the bitch, which may cause the fetus to be too large and cause dystocia. When the weather is hot, special attention should be paid to calcium supplementation to avoid contraction weakness due to calcium deficiency.

(3) Have a history of dystocia, or suffer from pelvic fractures, uterine tumors, etc.Bitches with obstetric related diseases should be bred as little or as little as possible.

(4) Avoid pairing large male dogs with small female dogs, and match male and female dogs with similar or smaller size differences.

(5) The female dog should be bred when she is physically mature, rather than when the dog has just become sexually mature, to prevent dystocia caused by premature breeding. This is because in immature dogs, the development of the pelvis, uterus and birth canal has not met the requirements for fertility.

Generally, the first mating of female dogs should not be earlier than the second estrus, and it is best to breed during the third estrus. Because the female dog's body has matured, it can prevent dystocia caused by premature breeding.

(6) Reduce the stress stimulation of the female dog from the external environment. The female dog should enter the delivery room in advance before giving birth to familiarize her with the delivery environment. Try to avoid strangers entering and leaving the delivery room to ensure the quietness of the delivery area.

(7) Use various drugs and supplements with caution during pregnancy to prevent fetal death, malformation and dystocia.

3. Treatment of dystocia

The principles of managing dystocia: First, protect both the mother and the child, so that the fetus can be delivered and survive, and the mother and child are safe. The other is to abandon the litter as a nanny and try to ensure the safety of the bitch.

(1) For bitches that have contractions and are unable to exert themselves, you can lead the bitch to exercise to promote the recovery of the birth canal, and then insert your index finger into the bitch’s vagina and push against the side wall or move like walking to stimulate the vagina. lateral wall, inducing uterine contractions. You can also use oxytocin and other oxytocin drugs to promote contraction of the uterine muscles, and at the same time, you can press the abdominal wall to promote the expulsion of the fetus. If your hands or instruments can touch the fetus, you can wash and disinfect your hands, use your index and ring fingers to insert into the birth canal of the female dog, or use hemostatic forceps and other instruments to gently pull out the fetus with the help of the female dog.

The application of oxytocin to induce labor must be done after confirming that the cervix is ​​open, the fetal position and orientation are normal, the fetus has no malformations and is not overweight. The use of oxytocin drugs must be strictly controlled according to the prescribed dosage. Under normal circumstances, the maximum dosage of oxytocin should not exceed 10IU/time. If the female dog does not respond 30 minutes after applying oxytocin, it can be used again. Excessive dosage often causes tonic contraction of the uterus, resulting in fetal asphyxia in the uterus. Death, or in severe cases, uterine rupture and death of both mother and baby.

If conditions permit, for female dogs with dystocia due to inability to give birth, while applying oxytocin, 10% calcium gluconate 10~20ml can also be injected intravenously to enhance uterine contraction, or intravenous glucose can be used to Methods to replenish energy for bitches, enhance the bitch’s physical strength, and restore the ability of the bitch’s abdominal wall to contract and work hard.

(2) For dystocia caused by a small vulva, when it is difficult for the fetus to pass, vulva incision can be performed, and the expanded area can be surgically treated after the fetus is delivered.

(3) For mild fetal abnormalityNormal female dogs should be corrected and pulled first, but harm to the fetus and mother should be avoided. Midwives should wash and disinfect their hands before operating, and use their index and ring fingers to insert into the birth canal of the bitch to determine the fetal position. If the fetus has entered the birth canal and the fetal position cannot be adjusted, the fetus should be pushed back during the female dog's labor gap, and then the fetal position should be adjusted. After the fetal position is adjusted correctly, use the female dog to gently pull out the fetus. If the fetus is already dead or the fetus is too large, the fetus can be divided and removed by abortion.

(4) For dystocia caused by two fetuses entering the birth canal at the same time, midwives can use certain instruments to guide the fetus stuck at the entrance of the female dog's pelvis to relieve dystocia.

(5) Dogs with ankylosis or premature water rupture should be calmed and the birth canal should be lubricated with liquid paraffin before assisted delivery.

(6) When the above methods are ineffective, a caesarean section must be performed promptly. When performing a laparotomy, special attention should be paid to hygiene and disinfection, and postoperative care should be strengthened to prevent infection.