Short Communication Medical and Surgical Management of a Dystocia Because of Foetopelvic Disproportion in an African Lioness (Panthera Leo) M Batista-Arteaga 1 , M Santana 1 , O Lozano 2 , J Me´ndez 2 , O Quesada 3 , M Arbelo 3 and J Espinosa 4 1 Unit of Reproduction and Obstetrics; 2 Unit of Surgery and Internal Medicine, University Veterinary Hospital; 3 Unit of Histology and Animal Pathology; 4 Unit of Exotic Animals, Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain Contents Medical and surgical management of a foetopelvic dystocia in an African lioness (Panthera leo) and the post-operative complications are reported. A caesarean section was per- formed to extract an oversize foetus blocked at the cervical canal; the lioness died 36 h after surgery. At necropsy, an abdominal effusion with sero-haemorrhagic fluid was ob- served, along with a fibrinopurulent exudate adhered to the serosal surfaces of the pelvic and abdominal cavities. In addition, the pelvic symphysis was not cartilaginous, but formed a firm and rigid joint between the pubis and ischium of each hip. The macroscopic and microscopic findings confirmed the presence of metritis, vaginitis and peritonitis. Dystocia may be caused by the premature ossification of the pelvic symphy- sis, reducing the dimensions of the pelvic cavity. Introduction Basic information on the reproductive performance of the lion (Panthera leo) is limited to the observations of external events (Tefera 2003). Felines are induced ovulators (Goodrowe and Wildt 1987) but some feline species, such as the leopard (Schmidt et al. 1993), tiger (Graham et al. 2006) and African lion (Schramm et al. 1994) are reported to ovulate spontaneously. First parturition in female lions occurs at approximately 4 years of age and the gestation period range between 107 and 120 days; in addition, the number of cubs is typically between 1 and 4 (Tefera 2003). In wild felines, there are a small number of cases reporting dystocia and its medical or surgical manage- ment. Foetal distress is the main indication to perform a caesarean section (Traas 2008) in queens. Other indica- tions for surgical resolution of dystocia include small pelvic size, foetal oversize, obstructive dystocia and primary or secondary uterine inertia (Pretzer 2008). Although caesarean sections are performed routinely in wild felines housed in zoological centres, no scientific publications have reported cases of dystocia or consec- utive caesarean sections in lioness. To our knowledge, this case report describes, for the first time, the medical and surgical management of a dystocia in an African lioness (Panthera leo) and the post-operative complica- tions associated with this condition. Case Report A 4-year-old pregnant African lioness (Panthera Leo), with an estimated body weight of 110–120 kg was housed in a circus in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain, 28°N, 23°W). After approximately 110 days of gestation, the female began parturition and delivered one dead male cub. However, 48 h after delivering the cub, the lioness did not show further signs of labour, and the owner called the University Veterinary Hospital. The female showed ataxia, anorexia, a moderate degree of dehydration, and a brown vaginal discharge was detected. A vaginal exam confirmed the presence of a dead cub in the posterior vagina. In addition, an ultrasonographic exam (5.0–7.5 MHz, linear-array transducer, Aloka SSD-500) of the right uterine horn detected another cub, with the presence of gas surrounding the foetal skeleton; no signs of foetal heart activity were detected. Oxytocin was IM administered (20 UI, Oxiton Ò 10 UI ⁄ ml; Ovejero, Leo´n, Spain), and 10 min later, the female delivered one emphysematous cub; the placenta was also expelled. After 30 min with no foetal progres- sion, a second vaginal exam was performed, and the head of the last cub was detected inside the cervix. However, an obstetric manipulation was ineffective, and a second dose of oxytocin was administered (IM, 20 UI), approximately 60 min after the first dose. The lioness presented intense uterine contractions but no foetal progression. Finally, a third vaginal exam con- firmed that the cub was blocked, and a caesarean section was performed. Prior to anaesthesia, the lioness was sedated with a mixture of IM dexmedetomidine (20 lg ⁄ kg, Dexdomi- tor Ò 0.5 mg ⁄ ml; Pfizer, Madrid, Spain) and buprenor- phine (10 lg ⁄ kg, Buprex Ò 0.3 mg ⁄ ml; Schering-Plough, Madrid, Spain). Thereafter, the cephalic vein was catheterized, and the female was induced with propofol (1 mg ⁄ kg, Propovet Ò , 10 mg ⁄ ml, Esteve, Barcelona, Spain). Endotracheal intubation was then performed, and the animal was anaesthetized with isoflurane (Isoflo Ò ; Abbott Animal Health, Berkshire, United Kingdom). Ringer lactate (15 ml ⁄ min) was administered intravenously throughout the surgery. In addition, antibiotic therapy was instaured throughout the IV administration of amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (20 mg ⁄ kg; Augmentine Ò , Glaxo Smithkline, Madrid, Spain) and the IM application of cefovecina (7 mg ⁄ kg, Convenia Ò ; Schering-Plough, Madrid, Spain). The heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation were monitored using an oxio pulsemeter (Vet Care Ò ; Braun, Bethlehem, PA, USA). Reprod Dom Anim 46, 362–365 (2011); doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2010.01630.x ISSN 0936-6768 Ó 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH