301. Neonatal puppy survival after planned caesarean section in the bitch using aglepristone as a primer: A retrospective study on 74 cases
- Author
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Cindy Maenhoudt, Fernando Mir, Paulo Borges, Zuzanna Niewiadomska, Etienne Furthner, Luca Zilberstein, Juliette Roos, Nicolas Nudelmann, Alain Fontbonne, University of Zurich, and Roos, Juliette
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Offspring ,media_common.quotation_subject ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Ultrasonography, Prenatal ,0403 veterinary science ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Dogs ,Endocrinology ,Aglepristone ,Pregnancy ,Puppy ,biology.animal ,Animals ,Medicine ,Caesarean section ,Estrenes ,Ovulation ,Progesterone ,Retrospective Studies ,media_common ,Morning ,630 Agriculture ,biology ,Cesarean Section ,business.industry ,Obstetrics ,0402 animal and dairy science ,Retrospective cohort study ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,medicine.disease ,040201 dairy & animal science ,1310 Endocrinology ,10187 Department of Farm Animals ,Animals, Newborn ,chemistry ,1305 Biotechnology ,570 Life sciences ,Female ,Animal Science and Zoology ,1103 Animal Science and Zoology ,Receptors, Progesterone ,business ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Since most of dystocia end up in caesarean sections (C-sections), the history of any problem during whelping is a good reason to plan in advance a further C-section. Our aim was to confirm that on a large sample and over an extended period of time, mortality in puppies2 weeks of age was low, born after a planned C-section using aglepristone as a primer. Seventy-four C-sections on 59 different bitches were included. Bitches were monitored during oestrus to estimate the day of ovulation by progesterone assays; 60, 61 or 62 days after ovulation, foetal viability was checked by ultrasonography and progesterone plasma level was measured. None of the bitches was at term (progesterone plasma level2 ng/ml). An injection of aglepristone was performed in late afternoon to block the effect of progesterone, mimicking its drop at the end of pregnancy. The C-section was conducted the following morning. Twenty-one breeds were represented most of which were bulldogs (26%, 21/74) and Great Danes (16%, 13/74). Four hundred and thirty-five puppies were born. A total of 43/435 puppies died within the first 2 weeks (9.89%). None of the puppies showed any external signs of prematurity. The average number of deaths per litter relative to the date after ovulation was similar (0.5 pups per litter at day 60, 0.7 at day 61, 0.4 at day 62). This study shows that planned C-section after an accurate determination of ovulation and using aglepristone as a primer is a safe procedure for bitches and their offspring. It may be offered to owners if a pregnant bitch is "at risk" of dystocia.
- Published
- 2018