| dc.description.abstract | Background: Veterinarians are routinely confronted with phone calls and inquiries regarding canine parturition. However, since few veterinarians use a standard specific parturition protocol, various actions are undertaken. Neonatal mortality, both during parturition and in the neonatal period, is a significant problem in the canine population. It has been previously reported that the overall incidence of stillbirth varies between 3.5% – 10.9%. Previous studies are either based upon a small number of dogs and/or diverse breeds. Possible causes of high stillbirth numbers and animal-bound factors have been described in the literature, but often it is not clear on what type of investigation this information is based or whether different parturition protocols have been used. The aim of this large-scale observational retrospective study was to evaluate a standardised parturition care and determine animal-bound factors that might influence the stillbirth rate in puppies in a homogenous canine population of mainly Labrador Retrievers.
Methods: Data was collected from a guide dog facility. A total of 2585 puppies from 331 parturitions - occurring from 1998 to 2019 - were included in this study. Qualitative analysis was carried out by conducting interviews with four experienced staff members of the guide dog facility. Quantitative data was analysed using Chi-square tests and logistic regression models.
Results: The experienced staff members of the guide dog facility use a short and structured parturition protocol which they do not always strictly follow. 142 (5.5%) of the 2585 puppies were stillborn. A borderline significance between maternal age and stillbirth was detected. Digital vaginal exploration, use of oxytocin, and manual obstetric assistance were significantly associated with increased stillbirth rates. Pups in posterior presentation at expulsion, or pups of which the placenta was expulsed immediately following delivery, were also significantly more likely to be stillborn. The last pup of a litter had the highest stillbirth rate. Stillbirth rate increased as inter-pup interval increased. No effect on stillbirth was found for maternal parity, litter size, caesarean section, time between first passage of foetal fluids via the vulva and first pup, presentation of the first pup, the pup’s gender, or the pup’s birthweight.
Conclusion: Univariable analyses revealed that stillbirth was significantly influenced by digital vaginal exploration, use of oxytocin, manual obstetric assistance, a pup’s presentation, a pup’s placenta attachment, a pup’s place in the sequence of births, and/or inter-pup interval. This information is valuable to gaining a more detailed understanding of parturitions in dogs and to make informed decisions during a parturition. The results of this study can also be used to establish a better adapted parturition protocol. To reduce the number of stillbirths, the results of the present study indicate that: 1) good parturition care at individual puppy level is important; 2) the age of the bitch may be correlated with stillbirth rate; 3) more research is needed on oxytocin therapy in bitches; 4) extra close monitoring is required for pups born with posterior presentation, pups born with the placenta attached, and the final pup in a litter, as these puppies showed a higher risk on stillbirth; 5) the interval between the birth of a pup and a intervention needs to be reconsidered. | |
