Description

Caesarean sections are performed in dogs and cats for several reasons including maternal-foetal disproportion and uterine inertia. Surgery may be elective or an emergency procedure. The outcome for both the dam and the offspring should be positive if you are well prepared, understand the physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy and their impact on anaesthetic management, and have a neonatal resuscitation protocol in place. A successful C-section requires a team effort and should be a rewarding experience rather than a stressful ordeal. Mortality rates for both dams and offspring have decreased over the years and much of the credit for this is given to improved anaesthetic management, including the use of newer anaesthetic agents such as propofol and alfaxalone.

Five learning objectives for viewers of the webinar


To understand the physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy in dogs and cats.
To understand the impact of these physiologic changes on anesthetic management.
To know the historical and current data on maternal and neonatal mortality associated with Caesarean-section.
To understand the factors that influence puppy or kitten vitality at birth.
To feel confident choosing an anaesthetic techniques that maximizes positive maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Dr. Robertson received her veterinary training at the University of Glasgow followed by training in anaesthesia and a PhD at the University of Bristol. She is board certified in anaesthesia and animal welfare by the respective American and European Colleges and is trained in small animal acupuncture. Her research interests include assessment of pain and use of opioids in cats and the development of anaesthetic protocols for large scale spay and neuter clinics. In 2014 she completed her graduate certificate in shelter medicine from the University of Florida. She has been a faculty member at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the University of Florida, Michigan State University and served as an assistant director in the Animal Welfare Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

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