Successful medical management of a vaginal wall tear in feline dystocia.

Case summary: A 2-year-old domestic shorthair queen sustained a tear in the vaginal wall through which the queen herniated a fetus during parturition. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, the patient had an ovariohysterectomy and the fetus was removed vaginally. The tear was managed medically with antibiotics, analgesics and careful monitoring. Assessment of the injury site 2 weeks later confirmed successful healing without the need for surgical intervention in the vaginal wall.

Relevance and novel information: This is the first report in veterinary medicine describing the successful medical management of a dystocia-related vaginal wall tear in a feline patient without surgical repair.