SHORT_COMMUNICATION Cesarean section is a life-saving surgical procedure usually undertaken in sheep and goats that fail to deliver vaginally (dystocia). Unfortunately, there are no recent review articles in literature that summarize the results of published case reports and clinical trials concerning indications, surgical approaches and procedures and outcomes following cesarean section in sheep and goats. Therefore, the aim of this article was to compile available data related to dystocia and cesarean section in small ruminants. Fortunately, the incidence of dystocia in small ruminants is considered to be low. It can be caused by either maternal or fetal factors. Maternal-related dystocia is most commonly because of failure of cervical dilation, narrow birth canal and uterine inertia. Those related to fetal causes are usually associated with fetal malposition/presentation, feto-pelvic disproportion/fetal oversize, and fetal malformation. Manual extraction of the fetus may be attempted in most cases, however, early surgical intervention by performing cesarean section ensures satisfactory outcome. Cesarean section is usually performed in lateral recumbency through left paralumbar fossa or left paralumbar fossa oblique celiotomy under local analgesia. The success rates and post-operative complications in sheep and goats are underreported; however, early surgical intervention using aseptic technique usually results in a satisfactory outcome for both the dam and newborn with acceptable prognosis for future breeding soundness. https://macvetrev.mk/Files/Article/2019/10.1515/macvetrev-2017-0012/macvetrev-2017-0012.pdf 2017-03-15T09:00:00 91 96 10.2478/macvetrev-2017-0012 dystocia small ruminants survival breeding soundness Zuhair Bani Ismail zuhair72@just.due.jo false 1 Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan LEAD_AUTHOR Brounts SH, Hawkins JF, Baird AN, Glickman LT, Outcome and subsequent fertility of sheep and goats undergoing cesarean section because of dystocia: 110 cases 1981–2001J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc 2004; 224: 275-279. PMid:14736074 1 10.2460/javma.2004.224.275 Purohit GN, Dystocia in the sheep and goat. A reviewIndian J. Sm. Rum 2006; 12: 11-12. 2 Sharma A, Kumar P, Singh M, Vasishta N, Retrospective analysis of dystocia in small ruminantsIntas Polivet 2014; 15: 287-289. 3 Bhattacharyya HK, Fazili MR, Bhat FA, Buchoo BA, Prevalence and dystocia of sheep and goats: A study of 70 cases (2004-2011)J. Adv. Vet. Res 2015; 5: 14-20. 4 Noakes DE, Parkinson TJ, England GCW, Noakes’s’ veterinary reproduction and obstetrics 2009; London: Saunders; 5 Fubini SL, Ducharme NG, Farm animal surgery 2004; Missouri: Saunders; 6 Menzies PI, Bailey D, Current therapy in large animal theriogenology 1997; Philadelphia: Saunders; 7 Ali AMH, Causes and management of dystocia in small ruminants in Saudi ArabiaJ. Agri. Vet. Sci 2011; 4: 295-108. 8 Kumar V, Talekar SH, Ahmad RA, Mathew DD, Zama MMS, Delayed cases of dystocia in small ruminants - etiology and surgical managementIndian J. Vet. Sci 2013; 1: 47-54. 9 Hussain SO, Zaid NW, Dystocia in goats, causes and treatmentAL-Qadisiya J. Vet. Med. Sci 2010; 9- 10 Fubini S, Heath AM, Pugh DG, Sheep and goat medicine 2002; Philadelphia: Saunders; PMCid: PMC2173981 11 Hanie EAA, Large Animal Clinical Procedures for Veterinary Technicians 2006; Mosby, Missouri: Elsevier; 12 Wu WX, Xiao Hong M.A, Coksaygan T, Chakrabarty K, Collins KV, Rose J, Nathanielsz PW, Prostaglandin mediates premature delivery in pregnant sheep induced by estradiol at 121 days of gestational ageEndocrinol 2004; 45: 1444-1452. PMid:14645114 13 10.1210/en.2003-1142 Muir WW, Hubbell J, Skarda RT, Swanson CR, Mason DM, Handbook of veterinary anesthesia 2000; Mosby, Missouri: Elsevier; 14 Leontides L, Fthenakis GC, Amiridis GS, A matched case-control study of factors associated with retention of fetal membrane in dairy ewes in southern GreecePrev. Vet. Med 2000; 44: 113-120. 15 10.1016/S0167-5877(99)00115-4 Kenneth DN, Bovine cesarean section in the fieldVet. Clin. North. Am. Food. Anim. Pract 2008; 24: 273-293. PMid:18471569 16 10.1016/j.cvfa.2008.02.009