Abstract

Dystocias are life threatening conditions in marine mammals, and therefore are considered medical emergencies. The objective of this work is to describe the intervention as well as medical treatment and reproductive handling of a dystocia in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Delphinus® Riviera Maya, a state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. This work describes the fetal extraction procedure performed on a 27 year old female, which initiated labor process without normal progression. She expelled a portion of the placenta prior to the fetus, and presented signs of secondary uterine inertia. The application of intramuscular Ergotrate® (ergometrine maleate) helped the uterus restarting the contractions, making the fetus extraction less traumatic and uterine hemorrhage more controllable. The mother was subjected to antibiotherapy scheme, which maintained most of her hematological values in normal levels from the fetus extraction until treatment completion. The procedure was successful and although the offspring did not survive, the mother is alive and healthy.