Sedated cesarean sections are associated with increased kid survival compared to general anesthesia in goats: retrospective cohort of 45 cases (2011-2021).

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether anesthesia type (sedation or general anesthesia) affects kid survival to discharge in caprine cesarean sections (C-sections). ANIMALS: Retrospective cohort of 99 caprine C-sections (2011-2021). PROCEDURES: All surgeries were performed via left flank laparotomy in right lateral recumbency. The number of kids alive at presentation, surgery, and discharge was recorded. Kids that were dead on presentation or euthanized intraoperatively were excluded. Goats were classified as "healthy" (American Society of Anesthesiologists status ≤ 2) or "sick" (≥ 3). RESULTS: Kid survival was significantly higher for C-sections performed under sedation (47/52 [90%]) than for C-sections performed under general anesthesia (16/24 [66%]; P = .004). Relative risk was 1.4 and odds ratio was 4.7. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Performing C-sections in sedated goats may improve kid survival rates over those under general anesthesia.