Dog C-section in Chilliwack, planned or emergency

Whelping is the word for a dog giving birth. Most births need no help, but call us straight away if you see any of these:

• Strong, steady straining for about 30 minutes with no puppy
• More than two hours between puppies when more are still expected
• A puppy visible in the birth canal that does not move out
• Green or dark discharge before the first puppy is born
• The mother is weak, trembling or clearly distressed
• The due date has passed with no sign of labour

We book a planned Caesarean section ahead of time, usually for breeds that often cannot give birth naturally, such as Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, or for a mother who had trouble with an earlier litter. Talk to us well before the due date so we have a plan in place. Cats can have the same problems when giving birth, and we perform Caesarean sections for cats too.

We perform an emergency Caesarean section when labour has started and is not progressing. We provide emergency surgical care during our regular operating hours, 8:00am to 8:00pm, seven days a week. Call ahead so our team can prepare for your arrival. We are not a 24-hour facility; outside those hours, go to a nearby 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital. See emergency and urgent care.

During a Caesarean section, we place the mother under anaesthesia and support her with modern anaesthetic monitoring. Our team monitors both the mother and her newborns through the procedure and while the mother wakes up. Before you go home, we go through the aftercare with you.

Once the litter is settled, the next steps are puppy and kitten care and their first vaccinations. You receive a written estimate you approve before any procedure begins.