Urinary bladder retroflexion and dystocia in a bitch with the vaginal supportive connective tissue failure

This article describes a 2.5 years old cross breed bitch, weighing 35 kg, with dystocia and a large mass protruding through the vulva. A surgical resection of a type III vaginal prolapse had been performed 1.5 years previously. On admission, transabdominal ultrasonography revealed several live foetuses in the uterine horns, but the urinary bladder was not visible in the abdomen. An anechogenic, fluid-filled bladder was observed during ultrasonography of the protruded mass. Foetuses were removed by caesarean section. During the surgery, it was realized that the uterine body and a live foetus were confined within the vagina as well as the bladder. The foetus was removed by repositioning the corpus uteri and bladder gently, and ovariohysterectomy was performed. Although the situation is exceptional, urinary bladder retroflexion could occur due to the failure of supportive connective tissue of pelvic floor and extreme straining during parturition. Therefore, retroflexion should be managed as an emergency to reduce the pressure in the bladder and to rescue the foetus if it is in the protruded tissue into the vagina.