Breeding can be a wonderful experience but also a worrying one if something goes wrong. Unfortunately most births are in the late hours of the night when most clinics are not open which can require an emergency trip to an after-hours vet that could be costly.
Elective caesarians can give comfort knowing that your pet is in the hands of a professional and the risks associated with some births are minimised. During your pets’ check ups, your vet will assess the pregnant bitch and take down a history including the size of the male mated with and the date of breeding. Dogs that have been bred with larger partners or have small litters can in turn have larger puppies that the mother may struggle to pass naturally, this can mean during birth the puppies may get stuck in the birth canal causing the death of the puppy and health concerns for the mother.
Brachycephalic breeds eg. English Bulldogs and French Bulldogs are known to have issues with natural whelping and caesarians are commonly booked in these cases. However it is not limited to only these breeds.
We recommend coming in for a health assessment during your dog’s pregnancy where you will have the option to have your dog ultrasounded to confirm the pregnancy and x-rays from day 50-60 to check the size and quantity of puppies. This will allow us to make a proper assessment and whether we would recommend to allow for natural whelping or whether to book in for a caesarian.
During the procedure your pet will be monitored by an experienced nurse with many hands on deck to revive the puppies once they are free of mum.
After the surgery your dog will be placed with her puppies to ensure they bond as soon as possible and the puppies receive their first meal.