Comparison of short-term complications following Cesarean section or Cesarean section with concurrent ovariohysterectomy in bitches and queens: a pilot study

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Cesarean section is a common treatment for canine and feline dystocia. Ovariohysterectomy may or may not be recommended concurrently. There are apparently no data in the literature providing evidence to guide decision-making regarding the advantages and disadvantages of performing these procedures concurrently. Animal signalment, history upon presentation, medical and anesthetic management of dystocia, and incidence of short-term complications were compared between bitches and queens undergoing Cesarean section alone and those undergoing concurrent Cesarean section and ovariohysterectomy. Short-term complications were defined as those happening after recovery from anesthesia and extubation and within several days after patient discharge. Complete data were available for two queens undergoing Cesarean section alone and two queens undergoing concurrent Cesarean section and ovariohysterectomy, and for 20 bitches undergoing Cesarean section alone and 22 bitches undergoing concurrent Cesarean section and ovariohysterectomy. No short-term complications were reported in any of these patients. An important limitation was small sample size; therefore, further investigations, perhaps by pooling data from several institutions, would be beneficial.