Don’t Wait ’til It’s Too Late: To Prevent Dystocia, Spay Your Female Pet

Unwanted litters are an all-too-common consequence of dogs and cats that are not spayed or neutered. Many of these animals wind up in shelters every year where they are euthanized simply for space.

Another repercussion in unspayed females is dystocia, or the inability to expel a fetus through the birth canal during labor.

Recently, the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic (CVC) in the Bronx has seen several cases of female pets suffering from dystocia and requiring emergency surgery.

“These are pets who nearly died while trying to give birth,” says Dr. Lori Bierbrier, ASPCA senior medical director, Community Medicine, Eastern Division.

Sadly, none of these puppies or kittens lived.

February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, and we encourage pet parents to spay their female dogs and cats — and neuter male pets — to help prevent this kind of crisis.

Juju, left, and Henny both required emergency surgery for dystocia.

Henny, a 3-year-old Chihuahua, was first seen at the Bronx CVC on January 9.

“I didn’t realize she was pregnant until she started to grow larger,” says Henny’s owner, Madelyn S. “The morning of her delivery, she was pushing and struggling. I knew then that something was terribly wrong.”

Madelyn rushed Henny to the CVC. Weighing just 7 pounds, Henny was referred to the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) for emergency surgery, during which the puppy, too large and not viable, was removed.

Henny was also spayed.

The AAH treated 21 cases of dystocia in 2024, according to Amanda Carmona, surgery administrator.

“The ASPCA saved my sweet Henny’s life, and I’m very glad for that,” says Madelyn. “This is never going to happen to her again.”

When Cristal K. adopted an 8-month-old cat from one of her neighbors, she had no idea the cat, named Juju, was pregnant. Just two weeks later, Cristal noticed a deceased fetus in Juju’s vulva and rushed her to a veterinarian who referred Cristal to the Bronx CVC, where an emergency spay was performed.

“Dr. Sasha Nelson applied gentle traction to remove the dead kitten,” says Dr. Bierbrier. “No additional fetuses were identified and luckily, Juju recovered uneventfully.”

Symptoms & Types of Dystocia

Dystocia is a common disorder that can happen at any stage of labor and delivery.

“Giving birth is a lengthy and strenuous process for any pet,” Dr. Bierbrier says. “Changes in heart rate, respiration and temperature can all contribute to heightened stress.”

Symptoms of dystocia include early labor, abnormal vaginal discharge, vomiting, stalled labor, straining without delivery, a fetus trapped in the birth canal, fever, vocalizing and extreme lethargy or weakness without delivering.

A female’s age — being too young or old — can also be a factor. Toy and small breeds of dogs are more susceptible. Brachycephalic breeds, such as bulldogs, are also extremely high risk due to the fetus’s head shape and size and typically require a caesarean section. An awkwardly positioned or large fetus, small birth canal or pelvis, failure of the uterus and cervix to contract and expand normally, as well as obesity in females, can also contribute. And, if your pet has suffered dystocia before it’s likely she may again.

Other Benefits of Spay Surgery

Spaying female pets prevents potential dystocia. Besides helping curb overpopulation of cats and dogs, spaying and neutering offers numerous other medical and behavioral benefits. Yet there are myths, rumors and falsehoods about this important procedure, which the ASPCA debunks.

While the traditional age for neutering dogs is 6 to 9 months, healthy puppies as young as 8 weeks old can be neutered. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well. For cats, it is generally considered safe for kittens as young as 8 weeks old to be spayed or neutered. To potentially avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance of pregnancy, it’s advisable to schedule the surgery before your cat reaches 5 months of age. It’s also possible to spay a female cat or dog while she’s in heat.

“This standard procedure not only helped Henny and Juju but boosts the welfare of our entire animal community,” says Dr. Bierbrier.