Vol. 8, Issue 3 (2019)

Author(s):
Raheema S, Jayakumar C, Kurien MO and Amritha A

Abstract:
Small litter size is considered high risk pregnancy in dogs from a probable dystocia due to prolonged gestation, uterine inertia and foetal oversize contributing to high neonatal mortality. Studies on medical induction of whelping are few and hence this study aims to investigate the efficiency and safety of medical induction of whelping in full term canine high risk pregnancies using progesterone antagonist, mifepristone; prostaglandin analogue, cloprostenol and natural prostaglandin, dinoprost tromethamine in combination with anterior vaginal application of PGE₁, misoprostol. A high number of puppies born alive at birth, a decreased medical and surgical assistance for completing the whelping process and the advantage of oral medication suggests induction of whelping using mifepristone with anterior vaginal administration of misoprostol a better choice than cloprostenol and dinoprost tromethamine.