2913. INTERN. Caesarean Section according to the vet text book

Jan 11, 2015



WARNING

BKTP




The 80-year-old breeder saw the 3-year-old Maltese hunched and strained for 2 days, but did not give birth. He decided on Caesarean section as the Maltese was 58th day pregnant. From his experience, he knew the puppies of Maltese and Chihuahuas would be well formed at 58th day.

He phoned me. I had my afternoon off and was watching the Suffragette movie. Dr Daniel would be operating. The breeder requested my presence and as we had known each other for over 30 years, I returned to Toa Payoh Vets. 

It was a rare opportunity for 2 interns to see a Caesarean Section as I do not service the dog breeders in Singapore nowadays.

MEDICAL HISTORY
Maltese, 3 years old, 58th day. Uterine Inertia. 5 pups.

ANAESTHESIA
Toa Payoh Vets use only isoflurane gas and oxygen. No i njecti


SURGERY IN THIS CASE WAS PERFORMED
ACCORDING TO THE VET SURGERY TEXT BOOK
1. A longer skin incision is needed to take out the whole uterus
2. Exteriorise the whole uterus
3. Incise near the uterine bifurcation
4. Milk out the puppies

SURGERY DONE BY DR SING KONG YUEN AND SOME VETS
1. A skin incision around the size of the pup's head is made.
2. The whole uterus is not exteriorised (taken out of the abdomen).
3. The vet palpates for the uterine bifurcation
4. Incise near the uterine bifurcation
5. Milk out the puppies
6. Advantage of a much shorter skin incision 1/3 of the other procedure

Follow up visit to the breeder on Jan 14, 2016
Dam and pups were OK. The breeder was most happy. He said the selling prices of the Maltese puppies are now depressed owing to puppy smuggling from Malaysia and Thailand. The government had taken blood samples from some breeders and had asked them to show the dams to support the
existence of the puppies for sale. Possibly a DNA matching is being done.

The dam and 4 puppies look good. The smallest one or runt is struggling to suckle as the 3 bigger siblings were actively suckling and occupying the area.







CONCLUSION

A successful outcome for an elective Caesarean section depends much on the timing. That is the judgment of the dog breeder. Deaths of the dam and puppies do occur but are rarely encountered.
Isoflurane gas and oxygen provides safe anaesthesia