Uterine rupture and septic peritonitis following dystocia and assisted delivery in a Great Dane bitch

A Great Dane bitch was treated for presumed primary uterine inertia with repeated doses of oxytocin and manually assisted whelping. She was diagnosed with uterine rupture and septic peritonitis the following day. The uterine rupture is hypothesized to have occurred as a result of the management strategy used to treat dystocia. The dog underwent ovariohysterectomy, and the septic peritonitis was managed with open peritoneal drainage. The dog recovered well and was discharged 5 days later. No previous reports of canine uterine rupture associated with manual intervention appear to have been published. This report highlights the potential dangers involved in such an approach.