The role of birth weight on litter size and mortality within 24h of life in purebred dogs: What aspects are involved?

Groppetti, D.; Ravasio, Giuliano; Bronzo, V.; Pecile, A.

doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2015.10.005

Cited by 35 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…As expected on the basis of the literature, litter size was inversely proportional to birth weight, with weight reduction for each additional pup per litter [26,35]. …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…In large-sized breeds, birth weight in dogs dying during the first week after birth was 100 g lower than in surviving pups [22,23]. Moreover, pup weight at birth has a significant influence on the outcome of parturition [24], and being oversized in pups may be responsible for uterine inertia and consequent fetal distress [25,26]. Pups being oversized in the case of singleton pregnancy, as well as disproportion between maternal pelvic and pup head dimensions are known to be predisposing factors to dystocia since more uterine force is needed to expel these pups [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pups being oversized in the case of singleton pregnancy, as well as disproportion between maternal pelvic and pup head dimensions are known to be predisposing factors to dystocia since more uterine force is needed to expel these pups [25]. Namely, dystocia is reported to occur more likely in some canine breeds and morphotypes, with increasing cranial circumference of the pups, that is in brachycephalic dogs [24,26,27,28,29,30]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data reported in literature on this topic are conflicting. Some authors have found no difference on birth weight between male and female pups [23,26]. On the contrary, other studies have shown an increased birth weight in male compared with female pups [38,39], as described in humans and sheep [2,4].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy

Groppetti

Pecile

Palestrini

et al. 2017

Animals

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Simple SummaryBirth weight is a key factor for neonatal mortality and morbidity in most mammalian species. The great morphological variability in size, body weight and breed, as well as in skeletal and cranial conformation makes it challenging to define birth weight standards in dogs. A total of 3293 purebred pups were surveyed to study which maternal aspects can determine birth weight considering head and body shape, size, body weight and breed in bitches, as well as litter size and sex in pups. In our sample, multivariate analysis outcomes suggested that birth weight and litter size were directly proportional to maternal size. The maternal body shape influenced both birth weight and litter size, whereas the maternal head shape had impact only on birth weight. Sex differences in birth weight were found. Birth weight and litter size also varied among breeds. The results of the present study could have practical implications allowing one to identify pups in need of admission to intensive nursing care, as occurs in humans. A deeper knowledge of the factors that significantly influence birth weight could positively affect the canine breeding management helping to prevent and reduce neonatal mortality.AbstractDespite increasing professionalism in dog breeding, the physiological range of birth weight in this species remains unclear. Low birth weight can predispose to neonatal mortality and growth deficiencies in humans. To date, the influence of the morphotype on birth weight has never been studied in dogs. For this purpose, an Italian census of birth weight was collected from 3293 purebred pups based on maternal morphotype, size, body weight and breed, as well as on litter size and sex of pups. Multivariate analysis outcomes showed that birth weight (p < 0.001) and litter size (p < 0.05) increased with maternal size and body weight. Birth weight was also influenced by the maternal head and body shape, with brachycephalic and brachymorph dogs showing the heaviest and the lightest pups, respectively (p < 0.001). Birth weight decreased with litter size (p < 0.001), and male pups were heavier than females (p < 0.001). These results suggest that canine morphotype, not only maternal size and body weight, can affect birth weight and litter size with possible practical implications in neonatal assistance.

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“…As expected on the basis of the literature, litter size was inversely proportional to birth weight, with weight reduction for each additional pup per litter [26,35]. …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy

Groppetti

Pecile

Palestrini

et al. 2017

Animals

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“…The total population size of our study (213) may be perceived as a limitation of the present study when compared to the total number of pups from other studies, such as 2373 [12], 789 [20], or 3292 [21]. However, we focused on only three breeds and, in fact, the number of puppies per breed does not differ considerably.…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Bodyweight at Birth and Growth Rate during the Neonatal Period in Three Canine Breeds

Schrank

Mollo

Contiero

et al. 2019

Animals

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Weight at birth (bBW) and early weight gain have been linked to the risk of neonatal mortality. Pups are described to be of low bBW if weighing less than one standard deviation (SD) below the mean. Most studies classified breeds according to their expected adult bodyweight. Our aim was to evaluate the breed specificity of these parameters. We assessed the bBW of 213 puppies of Bernese Mountain Dog (BMD), Tibetan Terrier (TT), and Lhasa Apso (LA) breeds, as well as the neonatal growth rate of 133 puppies of BMD and TT. BMD puppies were born relatively smaller than puppies of TT and LA (p ≤ 0.0001) and gained less weight than TT puppies during the first 14 days (p ≤ 0.05). Litter size had a significant impact on bBW and daily gain until the onset of the third week for BMD (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0005, respectively) and TT (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0064, respectively). When using bBW means and SD specifically assessed according to breed, 29 out of the 213 neonates of our study were judged as being of low bBW, whereas, when using the classical criteria (based on breed groups), the number of low bBW pups was 160 of 213. These results suggest that evaluations of bBW and neonatal growth should be performed in a breed-specific manner.

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Improving early neonatal survival in puppies and kittens: resuscitation and beyond

Reid,

Donnelly

2024

In Practice

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Background: Neonatology is an area of increasing interest in veterinary medicine from an animal welfare and economic perspective. In dogs and cats, the first week of life has the highest mortality with average neonatal mortality in puppies varying between 5 and 35 per cent.Aim of the article: This article describes strategies to increase neonatal survival through managing or removing factors that contribute to neonatal mortality. Where possible, an evidence‐based approach is taken; however, where there is an absence of evidence, both general consensus and personal experience may be drawn upon. Definitions within neonatology can vary, but this article describes puppies and kittens as ‘newborns’ from birth to a few hours old and ‘neonates’ up to two weeks of age.

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The role of birth weight on litter size and mortality within 24h of life in purebred dogs: What aspects are involved?

Cited by 35 publications

References 23 publications

A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy

A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy

Bodyweight at Birth and Growth Rate during the Neonatal Period in Three Canine Breeds

Improving early neonatal survival in puppies and kittens: resuscitation and beyond

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