Expert: Jessica - 5/23/2011

Question
Hi Jessica,

I would like to know dystocia following a stillbirth in cats.
What is the cause of this condition? Are there signs and symptoms an owner should look out for? When should I bring the animal to the vet? What are the tests for this condition? Are there natural or homeopathic alternatives? Are there ways to prevent it? Why does a stillbirth have an important effect?

I know it's a long questions. I would be very grateful if you may give comprehensive answer, however if it's impossible, kindly let me know a good website to find the overall explanations.

Thank you so much in advance.

Answer
Hi Megi,

There can be many causes of dystocia. Many times, there is no known cause, but of the times a cause if found, a stillbirth tends to be the most reason. Live kittens respond to contractions with movements to help make their way through the birth canal. When a kitten has died, a mother does not have this advantage and must try to deliver the kitten all on her own. Also, there is often some bloating of the died kitten, and it gets stuck in the birth canal.

Owners should watch for active straining to deliver for more than an hour. At this time, the cat should go to the vet.

In general, the test for dystocia will be an x-ray and an account of the symptoms by the owner. The x-ray will reveal the positions of the kittens and their general sizes. If any kittens are stuck in the birth canal because of abnormal size or shape, this will explain the reason for the dystocia. If the kitten is breached (in an abnormal position), this also will explain it. In these cases, surgery is usually required to deliver the kittens, although some vets will try to help deliver kittens with manual pressure or forceps. If the kittens all seem to of an appropriate size and in perfect alignment for delivery, the mother's uterus may not be producing strong enough contractions to deliver the babies, and an injection of oxytocin will usually help. This helps the mother deliver her babies naturally by strengthening contractions. I'm unaware of homeopathic ways to treat dystocia, but this is not my strong suit.

Most times, there's no reason to expect dystocia, and there's no way to prevent it. For cats who've experience dystocia in the past, the best way to prevent it is to spay them so they no longer breed. If a cat is exceptionally small or young when she becomes pregnant, or if she is of a breed that tends to experience difficult births, such as the Persian and the Siamese, it's wise to have an x-ray done a short time before she is due to deliver. If anything looks suspicious, it wise to have a vet on call. If things look like the cat certainly cannot deliver the kittens naturally, a c-section can be scheduled.

Stillbirths are important regarding dystocia because they are a most common reason why dystocia occurs. Most cats are able to deliver "breached" kittens (those born feet first) without any problems. Almost half of kittens are born this way, and most consider this a normal birth. This is rarely a cause for dystocia as it is in people. Of all the cases I've encountered, stillbirths and uterine infections that made the kittens unhealthy for delivery were the two most common reasons why cats experienced dystocia.

Here is my favorite page explaining dystocia in cats:

http://www.petplace.com/cats/dystocia-difficult-birth-in-cats/page1.aspx

Best wishes!

Jessica