! Dystocia! Dystocia: An Overview! Dystocia is a term used to describe a di"cult or abnormal birth.

This encompasses any problem in the birthing process ranging from severe (uterine torsion) to mild (prolonged labor). Dystocia can occur in any bitch regardless of breed or age. Some breeds, however, are more prone to dystocia than others such as the brachycephalic breeds including the Bulldog, Pug, Boston Terrier, Pekingese, Boxer, French Bulldog, and Shih Tzu.! ! Causes of Dystocia! Dystocia can be caused by either maternal factors or fetal factors or a combination of both. Maternal factors which can cause dystocia include small pelvic size, small birth canal, or uterine inertia. Uterine inertia is the inactivity of uterine contractions. This can happen before any puppies are born (primary inertia) or after several puppies have been born (secondary inertia). Primary inertia can be due to irregular hormone levels, small litter size, or age of the bitch. Secondary inertia is usually due to exhaustion after prolonged labor. Fetal factors which can cause dystocia are increased fetus size or wrongly positioned fetus. There are certain predisposing factors that can increase the bitchs risk of developing dystocia including age, weight, previous complications, rst litter, and small litters. Older dogs are at a greater risk for dystocia than younger dogs and heavy dogs are at a greater risk than dogs at a healthy weight. These are both due to the increased stress on the body. If the bitch has had previous complications with parturition it is likely that she will again. Bitches having their rst litter are at a higher risk because they are unfamiliar with the process. When a bitch has a small litter (1 or 2 puppies) there may not be enough hormones to induce labor, resulting in dystocia. It is important to be familiar with the normal birthing procedure so you can tell when there might be a problem.! ! Symptoms of Dystocia! Symptoms of dystocia can vary as no individual dog is the same. Some bitches may have all her puppies in a short amount of time while others may take much longer. Dystocia should be considered if any of the following signs are seen:!

! Birth does not occur with in 24 hours after temperature drops below 100 F! Strong contractions for 1-2 hours with no puppies passed! Resting period during active labor of greater than 4-6 hours! If the bitch is in obvious pain! Abnormal vaginal discharge (blood, dark green before any puppies are born)! Pregnancy lasting longer than 70 days from the rst breeding! Owners should keep clear records as to the bitch's previous pregnancies, breeding dates, and over all health to ensure that the veterinarian has as much information as possible when determining treatment.! ! Treating Dystocia! Treatment of dystocia can be either surgical or medical. Medical management can be done if the both the mother and puppies are stable, there is no obstruction in the birth canal, and fetal position is normal. In these cases small amounts of oxytocin may be administered to induce uterine contractions. In addition to this, calcium and glucose may be administered to help with fatigue. If there is no response to medical therapy or if the bitch has obstructive dystocia then surgery is the best option. The surgery performed is a cesarean section. In a cesarean section the puppies are removed through an incision in the uterine wall. In some cases when the bitch has a previous history of dystocia or is at high risk for developing dystocia a cesarean section may be scheduled.! ! Care for Dogs with Dystocia! If you believe that your dog is experiencing dystocia you should contact your local veterinarian. This will greatly improve the survival chances for the puppies and mother. Once the delivery is complete and you have mom and puppies back home it is important to keep them in a quiet, comfortable area away from other dogs which will allow the bitch to recover as quickly as possible.! ! http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/diseaseinformation/dystocia.html#sthash.RNhM350f.dpuf!