Dragtigheid en keisersneё
Ingestuur deur Faffa op 17 Januarie, 2012 - 22:42
Vraag
Watter toestande lei daartoe dat keisersnee gedoen word in honde?
Antwoord
Deur: DR. LIESEL VAN DER MERWE
I overheard a client talking to a colleague of mine at the practice the other evening about her very pregnant little pekinese dog. She was upset over the fact that a caesarean section was necessary and no matter how the vet tried to explain the situation to her, she tried to find other alternatives to reduce the expected costs. Overhearing her trying to rationalise the situation I realised what misconceptions people have .
There are two main reasons why veterinarians suggest a caesarean is necessary. Foetal factors where the puppies are too big and an obstructive dystocia is present or maternal factors where the pelvis is very narrow or uterus is tired (inertia) and there is no energy left for pushing - this can occur after a long labour or with a dog that has many puppies in her uterus. Puppies can be born head first or back feet first, but bum first (breech) can cause problems.
It is true dogs have been having puppies long before vets were around - but then these dogs are your typical Canis africanis type. Humans have been interfering with the shape of dogs for many years now and have created some serious problems. Dogs like Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekinese have broad shoulders and very narrow hips - this will results in the puppies often being too large to fit through the narrow pelvic canal (foeto-maternal mal-proportion). Simple things like worms and malnutrition can cause the bitch to have a difficult labour as she has insufficient energy reserves. Miniature breeds also are predisposed to problems even though they usually have smaller litters. Small bitches with single pup pregnancies will struggle as the puppy is relatively oversized to the bitch. Any bitch who has had a pelvic fracture is at risk for dystocia as is a bitch with vaginal hyperplasia as occurs in Boerboel and Boxer breeds and crosses.
Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days - but this is calculated according to the bitches hormone levels and NOT the day of mating. The sperm of the male dog survive for up to 7 days in the reproductive tract of the bitch. Most dogs start to show some “nesting behaviour in the few days prior to birth and they also show a drop in temperature by 1°C about 24hrs before labour. It is a good idea to have x- rays taken of your bitch at about 7 weeks’ pregnancy so that the number of puppies can be counted. This “head count” will help determine if she has finished having all the puppies during a long labour .
Veterinary help should be sought if labour does not begin when expected, the bitch is experiencing abdominal and uterine contractions for more than 30 minutes without delivering a puppy, more than 2 hours have passed in-between 2 puppies or there is a lot of greenish black discharge , indicating placental detachment, prior to the birth of any puppies.
The veterinarian will decide based on radiographs, a clinical and vaginal examination as well as on foetal stress whether medical correction of the problem or surgical intervention with a caesarean section is the ideal route. Sometimes we can place the bitch on a drip and add calcium and glucose to improve the contractions, but often we still end up having to give a caesarean as they cannot get all the puppies out. The longer you wait prior to perform a c-section the poorer the survival chances for the puppies. Additionally it has been shown that surgery is eventually indicated in 60-80% of dystocias. Specialised anaesthesia techniques are required to limit the amount of anaesthetic taken in by the puppies. These things also tend to occur at night, which just adds to the stress and drama.
Bottom line - It is the owner’s responsibility to prevent their female dogs from becoming pregnant. This has to be done by sterilising the bitch at a young age (6 months) if you do not intend breeding with her. If you do want to breed with her you need to monitor her heat cycles and keep her kennelled when you do not want to breed in a specific cycle. If you are breeding with her, monitor her cycle , and note when she is covered to help estimate her due date.
The bitch cannot help that her hormones will take over and she will become an absolute magnet to every intact male dog in the area. These dogs will scale 6 foot walls to get into your property if necessary ... never under-estimate a determined amorous fox terrier...
Geskryf deur: dr. Liesel van der Merwe (lieselvdm@valleyfarmvet.co.za)
16 Januarie 2012
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