Cavy Pregnancy and Birth Complications

 

Abortion

 

This is when the sow expels the foetus and foetus membrane during pregnancy.

 

Causes – problems in the development of the foetus or foetus membrane, stress, loud noises, falls, disease, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

 

Information/symptoms – Abortion can happen at any stage during pregnancy but the time at which it happens can denote the sorts of complications that may arise. If the sow aborts in the first trimester of pregnancy (the first 3 weeks) most owners won’t even notice. This early type of miscarriage (where there is no vaginal discharge) is called Resorption and is quite common in cavies. When the babies are dead all of the uterine contents are dissolved and then absorbed by the Uterus. There are usually no problems with Resorption and the sow will normally come back into Oestrus (in heat) fairly soon. This does not affect fertility. The most common causes for abortions in the first trimester are problems in the development of the foetus or the foetal membranes, malnutrition and mange.

 

If abortion occurs in the second trimester (weeks 4 - 6 inclusive) of pregnancy it is usually uncomplicated and the litter will be expelled rather easily and the sow will not seem in any discomfort or show any signs of illness. The first sign will be bleeding from the vagina but the sow usually cleans up so well that there may only be a slight amount of blood left on her nose or vagina.

 

An abortion in the last trimester of pregnancy (weeks 7 - 9 inclusive) is a completely different matter. The symptoms are a lot worse and there is an increased risk of complications. The sow can easily become depressed and anorexic (stop eating) and many will die. Please seek veterinary advice immediately if your sow has an abortion in the last trimester of her pregnancy. 

 

One complication is Metritis, which is a uterine infection. Metritis does not only happen after abortions but can also quite frequently happen after giving birth (as well as at other times). The symptoms of Metritis are depression, anorexia, toxaemia (see ‘Pregnancy Toxaemia’) and a vaginal discharge with blood and/or pus. If you notice any of these symptoms it is vital that you take your cavy to the vet immediately. She will most likely be treated with anti-biotics but it may also be necessary for her to have surgery – an Ovariohysterectomy.

 

Agalactia

 

This is when the sow produces little/no milk for her babies.

 

Causes – Infections, illness (Toxaemia), stress, malnutrition.

 

Information/symptoms – Little/no production of milk causes the babies to get restless and thin and they may cause damage to the sow’s nipples (which will in turn make the sow restless and uncomfortable) and the weakest babies may die.

 

Feed the sow plenty of fresh, juicy greens to try to increase her milk production. However, it will be necessary to also take her to the vet who may give her an injection of Oxytocin, which can help bring the milk down. You may have to hand rear the babies if you have no luck with the Oxytocin or greens.

 

Alopecia

 

Hair loss in mid to late pregnancy or post partum.

 

Causes  - Alopecia doesn't just occur during pregnancy, but when it does it is due to sex hormones affecting the function of the hair follicles.

 

Information/symptoms - The hormones during pregnancy and after the birth can affect the functioning of the hair follicles to the point that they cease to function and the hair no longer grows. This means that when a hair is shed, another does not grow to replace it and the coat becomes thin. Alopecia occurs most often in the last trimester of pregnancy but can also be seen post partum and is more common in older sows who have been frequently bred from.

 

The hair loss is mainly seen on the abdomen and flanks and is usually symetrical. There is no pruritus (itching) with pregnancy Alopecia and if this is noted then you should look for other causes, such as mites or lice.

 

If a sow suffers from pregnancy Alopecia she is likely to suffer it again with any further pregnancies. The condition is not painful and the hair will grow back on its own after the birth without any treatment. A supplement of Vitamin B can be given to help support hair growth.

 

Alopecia is sometimes seen in newborn babies, but very rarely. This is due to maternal hormones during gestation and parturition and the babies will start to loose their hair shortly after birth, but will remain healthy in every other respect. Again, the hair will regrow without any treatment.

 

 Pregnancy Alopecia on Sara

 

Caesarean Section

 

An operation to remove the babies though an incision in the womb (as oppose to a natural birth).

 

Information – If the sow is unable to give birth (see Dystocia) or cannot expel a dead litter she may need to have a Caesarean Section. Surgery can be risky and to give the sow (and babies) a good chance of survival it is a must to act quickly and make a decision to operate sooner rather than later when she may become depressed and weak. If the babies are still alive when they are removed from the Uterus they have a good chance of survival. The sow must be kept warm post surgery and eat straight after waking from the anaesthesia to prevent Toxaemia. If she does not eat and becomes depressed, her chances of survival are minimal. In cases where the Uterus is severely affected it is usually advisable to surgically remove it (see Ovariohysterectomy).

 

Dystocia

 

This is when the sow cannot give birth to her babies.

 

Causes – Narrow pelvic canal in very young sows, large babies (usually when it’s a single baby pregnancy), rigid pelvic bones due to the sow not being bred for the first time before 10 months old/too long a rest period between litters, malpositioned babies, malformed babies, malnutrition and weakness in the sow from Toxaemia.

 

Symptoms/information - This a very serious and quite common condition in cavies. The sow will strain but be unable to produce any babies. She will strain almost continuously at first but it will become less frequent as she gets tired, weak and depressed. She will have a brownish discharge from her vagina and complications are very likely at this stage. She may well develop Toxaemia (see Pregnancy Toxaemia) or Metritis (see Metritis). If you do not seek veterinary treatment immediately the sow will die.

 

The veterinarian may try to extract the baby using his fingers or forceps if the sow is unaffected by the straining. Otherwise he may give her an injection to try to stimulate birth contractions. Another thing to try is to hold the sow’s rear end in lukewarm water as this can stimulate labour. However, if none of these work it will be necessary to remove the babies by Caesarean Section (see Caesarean Section).

 

Induced birth

 

Information – If a sow is having difficulty in giving birth (see Dystocia) it may be necessary to induce it. This will also be necessary if she is carrying a dead litter. Different hormones (and mixtures of hormones) will be used by the vet depending on whether the sow’s pelvic bones have parted or not.

 

A more natural (but unwanted) sort of inducing can occur when two pregnant sows are kept together and the first one litters and the second sow (very naturally) helps her to clean the newborn babies and clean up the placentas. The foetal membranes and placenta contain the hormone Oxytocin, which causes contractions of the Uterus and brings down the milk for the babies. However, this hormone may cause the still pregnant sow to have her babies (due to the contractions) when she is not ready to and they will be born prematurely. Also, the contractions can be so strong that the Uterus is expelled (see Prolapsed Uterus).

 

It is therefore advisable to house pregnant sows alone (or move them into their own cage when the birth is close).

 

Premature birth

 

This is when the babies are born before the full term of pregnancy - they are too young to survive but too old for it to be considered an abortion. Any babies born before 60 days of pregnancy are considered premature.

 

Causes - There are a number of causes for premature births, but mainly it is due to diseases in the sow. Such diseases include pregnancy toxaemia, vitamin C deficiency and mange. Premature births can also be caused by stress or housing two pregnant sow together (see 'Induced Birth' above).

 

Information - Premature babies have a thin, silky coat and their nails are white and soft. They are very small and weak, if not born dead. The sow will most likely be unwell too and will reject her premature babies and efforts to hand-rear them usually fail. Premature births are more common in sows that are in poor condition or sows that are bred too young (before 5 months old). If the sow isn't too ill she will usually make a full recovery with careful nursing.