Topics in the Routine Assessment of Newborn Puppy Viability

• Published in: Topics in companion animal medicine Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 16 - 21
• Main Authors: Vassalo, Flávia Gardilin, Simões, Carla Regina Barbieri, Sudano, Mateus José, Prestes, Nereu Carlos, Lopes, Maria Denise, Chiacchio, Simone Biagio, Lourenço, Maria Lúcia Gomes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn - physiology; Apgar score; blood gas; Body Weight; canine; Cesarean section; Dogs; Emergency medical care; Female; Glucose; Heart rate; Laboratories; Mortality; neonatal reflexes; neonate; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Reference Values; Respiration; small animals; Veterinary medicine; Veterinary Medicine - methods; Apgar score; neonate; canine; blood gas; neonatal reflexes; small animals
• ISSN: 1938-9736; 1946-9837; 1876-7613
• DOI: 10.1053/j.tcam.2015.02.003

Neonatal veterinarians still observe higher mortality rates among their patients than those observed among humans. Establishment of a neonatal assessment protocol is fundamental to the identification of the medical status of the neonate and the need for medical intervention. The neonatal Apgar score evaluation, which is commonly used in clinical practice, should be complemented by other methods of analysis. This study proposes, in addition to an Apgar score analysis, the evaluation of laboratory parameters and weight. We believe that knowledge of these reference values is essential for diagnosing at-risk neonates and for establishing suitable treatments.