Dystocia in cats under UK primary emergency veterinary care: epidemiology, clinical management and outcomes.

Purebred and brachycephalic cats have significantly elevated dystocia risk requiring enhanced monitoring.

This retrospective observational study analyzed 1,102 feline dystocia cases from 118,168 queens presented to UK primary emergency veterinary clinics between 2017-2023, establishing an overall incidence of 0.93%. Purebred queens demonstrated 2.53-fold increased dystocia risk compared to crossbreds, while brachycephalic breeds showed 3.27-fold increased risk. Devon Rex, Tonkinese, Birman, Exotic, and British Short Hair breeds exhibited the highest individual breed risks (OR 3.81-10.38). Medical management with oxytocin was attempted in 35% of cases, with 27% subsequently requiring cesarean section. Overall, 35.75% of dystocia cases required surgical delivery. Litter size significantly influenced outcomes, with 5-6 kitten litters showing 6.54-fold increased cesarean section necessity. Maternal mortality during emergency care was 3.45%, while neonatal mortality reached 38.51% across all dystocia cases. These findings underscore substantial welfare implications and highlight the importance of recognizing breed-specific dystocia risk for improved clinical preparedness and breeding recommendations.

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