Caesarean Section

Service

In dogs and cats, a caesarean section can be performed for many reasons – including maternal-fetal disproportion and uterine inertia – as an elective or emergency procedure. Several different surgical techniques have been described and the dam may undergo an ovariohysterectomy at the same time. Regardless of the situation, the outcome for both the dam and the offspring should be positive if there is an understanding of the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and their impact on anaesthetic management, good preparation before the procedure and a neonatal resuscitation protocol in place.

Most animals give birth without any complications. However, mothers occasionally need help with delivery. We usually attempt to resolve the problem using medical therapy first, but when that doesn’t solve the issue, we will perform a caesarean section. During a c-section, the mother is given an anesthetic. An incision is then made along her abdomen and through the uterus to retrieve unborn puppies or kittens. In some situations, we may recommend that the mother be spayed during this procedure, usually to prevent future problems of this nature.