The productivity of kennels and catteries is directly linked to maternal prolificacy and neonatal survival. During the neonatal period, mortality is high, not only due to environmental factors after birth but also with regard to gestational fetal life, complications during delivery, and management errors. Neonatology is an area of veterinary medicine where having a strong knowledge base of applied physiology and common clinical presentations for newborns can often favor better outcomes and greater neonatal survival. The teaching of animal theriogenology topics, particularly neonatal medicine, in the veterinary curriculum has evolved significantly in recent years. It is essential that the veterinarian understands the maternal and neonatal particularities and the main aspects involved in the handling of puppies and kittens for the instruction of the correct handling to the breeders and better medical conduct. The breeder of dogs and cats, experienced or not, must count on the help of a veterinarian in their breeding. Proper management, constant monitoring of the litter, and prompt assistance are the keys to successful breeding.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to perform neonatal clinical assessments at birth to identify newborn kittens at risk according to type of delivery, thus allowing immediate intervention and increasing their chances of survival. Methods: This study compared Apgar scores, reflexes and clinical parameters (temperature, weight, blood glucose and peripheral oxygen saturation [SpO2]) between eutocic neonates and those delivered by emergency cesarean section. The animals were evaluated at birth and after 10 and 60 mins. Results: Thirty-two neonates were evaluated, with 19 animals in the eutocic group (EG) and 13 animals in the cesarean group (CG). When comparing groups, CG neonates had significantly lower Apgar scores ( P <0.0001), lower SpO₂ ( P = 0.0535), higher blood glucose ( P = 0.0009), reduced reflexes ( P <0.0001) and lower respiratory rates ( P <0.0001) at birth and after 10 and 60 mins than EG neonates. Apgar scores positively correlated with parameters such as heart rate, reflex score, SpO₂ and weight. The mortality rate in evaluated newborns was 15.6% (5/32). The early mortality rate (0–2 days old) was 80% (4/5) and the late mortality rate (3–30 days old) was 20% (1/5). Conclusions and relevance: This study showed lower vitality in cats delivered by emergency cesarean section than in those delivered through eutocic birth. In general, neonates delivered by cesarean section have greater depression and low vitality at birth and may require advanced resuscitation procedures. The evaluations carried out in this study identified newborns with low vitality and those requiring advanced resuscitation, thus allowing immediate intervention. Apgar and reflex scores for feline neonates were suggested. Newborn-specific clinical assessment with these feline vitality scores allows the identification of at-risk neonates. Care immediately after birth increases the chance of survival among these patients.

Neonatal puppies and kittens have physiological and anatomical characteristics that differ from those of adult animals, which impacts the interpretation of physical examination and complementary tests. The veterinarian must be familiar with the clinical, laboratory, and imaging aspects observed in neonates. It is necessary to thoroughly evaluate the litter and the mother to notice the most subtle signs of illness and advise the owner to constantly monitor the newborns, quickly sending them to specialized care. This review describes how to perform clinical assessments of newborns systematically and recognize clinical signs of neonatal changes or affections in puppies and kittens.

Pectus excavatum is a deformity of the thorax characterized by ventrodorsal narrowing of the sternum bone and costal cartilages, which can lead to compression and cardiopulmonary alterations in dogs, presenting a high prevalence in brachycephalic breeds. The aim of this report was to describe two types of management for the noninvasive treatment of pectus excavatum in newborn puppies of the breeds French Bulldog and American Bully. The puppies presented dyspnea, cyanosis and substernal retraction during inspiration. The diagnosis was performed by physical examination and confirmed by chest X-ray. Two types of splints were performed (a circular splint with plastic pipe and a paper box splint on the chest), aiming at thoracic lateral compression and frontal chest remodeling. The management was effective for the conservative treatment of mild-grade pectus excavatum, resulting in the repositioning of the thorax and improvement of the respiratory pattern.

Congenital cleft palate is the most described malformation in dogs, especially in purebred puppies. It is characterized by abnormal communication between the oral and nasal cavities through an opening in the palate, which can cause milk aspiration, pneumonia, inadequate breastfeeding, neonatal triad, failure to gain weight and death. The objective of this report was to describe the clinical and surgical management of a neonatal Siberian Husky puppy with congenital cleft palate, highlighting the importance of orogastric probing for neonatal survival, as well as surgical correction for the patient's quality of life. Orogastric tube feeding was performed during the first four months of age, and after this period, the surgical procedure to close the palate was performed. The management of the orogastric tube proved to be effective, with adequate development of the puppy (constant weight gain), a reduced risk of neonatal triad and milk aspiration, good acceptance by the patient, and easy management for owners. The waiting time for cleft palate surgery, performed at four months of age, proved to be essential to avoid reopening the cleft.

Congenital defects can cause changes in the normal function or morphology of organs, thus contributing to neonatal mortality. Malformations in dogs occur as a result of genetic factors or by the action of teratogenic agents during pregnancy. Genetic defects can be inherited from one or both parents. These defects are more common in purebred puppies or can even be the result of consanguinity. Teratogenic agents, such as toxins, drugs, infectious diseases, mechanical influences, and irradiation, may affect the litters during gestational development. Hypoplasia of ribs has been described in human newborns. It is a rare and lethal malformation of autosomal recessive inheritance that prevents thoracic expansion and reduces pulmonary compliance, causing respiratory failure. A pregnant bitch of undefined breed was submitted to caesarean section. At birth, a neonate exhibited respiratory distress, and the palpation of the thorax indicated absence of ribs. In addition, the newborn had cleft palate and cleft lip, which led to perform the euthanasia of the animal. Post-mortem examination indicated hypoplasia of ribs and unilateral renal agenesis. As in the canine neonate, hypoplasia of ribs in human newborns is also associated with other malformations, such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and urogenital defects. The present report describes the first case of hypoplasia of ribs associated with other malformations in a canine neonate, the cause being possibly related to a genetic hereditary factor.