The reported incidence of dystocia in small mminants is very low. However when a dystocia does occur, the small diameter of the pelvic canal limits the manual manipulation that can be performed and thus surgical intervention is often necessary. A cesarean section is often recommended when the fetus is still alive and the animal's value does not preclude the cost of the procedure. Another option to relieve the dystocia would be a fetotomy, especially in the case of a dead fetus. It has been reported that in sheep the Suffolk breed might be more prone to dystocia; however other studies have not found similar results.
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