Effects of Alfaxalone or Propofol on Giant-Breed Dog Neonates Viability During Elective Caesarean Sections

Nowadays, thanks to the increased awareness of owners and breeders and to the most recent techniques available to veterinarians, the management of parturition, especially of C-sections, has become a topic of greater importance. Anesthesia is crucial and must be targeted to both the mother and neonates. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the induction agent alfaxalone on the vitality of puppies born from elective C-section, in comparison to propofol. After inducing general anesthesia for elective C-section, puppies from the mothers induced with alfaxalone had higher 5-min Apgar scores than those induced with propofol. The concentration of cortisol in fetal fluids collected at birth is neither influenced by the anesthetic protocol used, nor does it differ between amniotic and allantoic fluids. Nevertheless, the cortisol concentration in fetal fluids affects the relationship between anesthesia and the Apgar score: the present study highlights a significant relationship between the anesthetic protocol used and Apgar score in puppies, and fetal fluids cortisol concentration acts as a covariate of this relationship. Alfaxalone is a safe and effective drug for the induction of anesthesia in dogs, and it can be successfully employed for elective C-section, with neonatal wellbeing improvements.