Neonatology: Topics on Puppies and Kittens Neonatal Management to Improve Neonatal Outcome

Abstract

The productivity of kennels and catteries is directly linked to maternal prolificacy and neonatal survival. During the neonatal period, mortality is high, not only due to environmental factors after birth but also with regard to gestational fetal life, complications during delivery, and management errors. Neonatology is an area of veterinary medicine where having a strong knowledge base of applied physiology and common clinical presentations for newborns can often favor better outcomes and greater neonatal survival. The teaching of animal theriogenology topics, particularly neonatal medicine, in the veterinary curriculum has evolved significantly in recent years. It is essential that the veterinarian understands the maternal and neonatal particularities and the main aspects involved in the handling of puppies and kittens for the instruction of the correct handling to the breeders and better medical conduct. The breeder of dogs and cats, experienced or not, must count on the help of a veterinarian in their breeding. Proper management, constant monitoring of the litter, and prompt assistance are the keys to successful breeding.

Neonatal hypoglycemia in dogs—pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment

“…Hypoglycemia is the most common metabolic alteration in newborn patients. In veterinary medicine, the puppies most likely to manifest hypoglycemia are neonates who have gone through stressful events such as hypoxia at birth, neonates born from hypoglycemic mothers, sick, orphaned, premature and low birth weight neonates ( 5 , 29 , 41 ). Table 1 shows the main risk factors for the development of neonatal hypoglycemia.…”

“…These newborns may also have a weak or absent sucking reflex and may not be able to ingest milk adequately. Also, low birth weight pups may not be able to compete for breastfeeding with the larger and more robust newborns in the litter, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia ( 5 ).…”

“…Currently, the canine perinatal mortality rate is around 20%, occurring mainly at the late gestational age, during and immediately after delivery, and seven days after birth ( 1–6 ). The commonly described causes are perinatal hypoxia, maternal factors, infections, malformations, hypothermia and neonatal hypoglycemia ( 1 , 5 , 7 ).…”

“…The neonatal period in dogs can be described as the first three to four weeks of age ( 3 , 8 , 9 ). During this period, the neonate presents immaturity of several organic systems, having unique characteristics that completely differ from an adult animal ( 5 , 8 ).…”

“…In puppies that are not suckling, blood glucose can drop rapidly, as the ability to maintain normoglycemia in cases of fasting is reduced. Hepatic reserves will be completely depleted within 24 h; however, a rapid decline in blood glucose may occur before this period in frail, sick, premature, or low birth weight neonates ( 5 , 7 , 13 ).…”