Improving early neonatal survival in puppies and kittens: resuscitation and beyond

Background: Neonatology is an area of increasing interest in veterinary medicine from an animal welfare and economic perspective. In dogs and cats, the first week of life has the highest mortality with average neonatal mortality in puppies varying between 5 and 35 per cent.

Aim of the article: This article describes strategies to increase neonatal survival through managing or removing factors that contribute to neonatal mortality. Where possible, an evidence-based approach is taken; however, where there is an absence of evidence, both general consensus and personal experience may be drawn upon. Definitions within neonatology can vary, but this article describes puppies and kittens as ‘newborns’ from birth to a few hours old and ‘neonates’ up to two weeks of age.