I am breeding my girl and it's her first time. I did an AI today and found a stricture. I've never had one in one of my girls before. I have done quite a few AI's over the years. I did search the forum and read more about them. Some say it will break with whelping, some say they have broken it themselves (not sure I could do that) and some say it has to be surgically cut. Also, if she were to be bred naturally, would it break then or would she not be able to be bred naturally?

Thanks for any insight.

My chocolate girl had a stricture that was very noticable when she was AI'd at Cornell. The vets told me to just be aware of it and that the hormones, when she came in labor, would likely take care of it. She came through with absolutely no problem. She actually "spit" the first pup out.

A breeder friend of mine had a bitch that had a significant stricture. C-sectioned for the pups and kept a bitch pup. The daughter had one too.

I have experienced two bitches with thick, tough strictures in 20 years (mother and daughter, then never again). I had both of them cut by a repro specialist using an endoscope, under LOCAL anesthesia only. Very successful and non-painful both times, this veterinarian rocks! We did not want to use sedation or anesthesia as, of course, I first noticed the stricture on both girls while doing the A.I.
I waited to confirm pregnancy before doing the surgery. I did not want to face the possibility of having to run out and get a C-section done in order to get the first puppy out of the stricture. It may have been okay but I was a girl scout and I like to be prepared!
I would consult a repro specialist as they have seen strictures many more times than a regular vet.

Our repro vet has stretched or popped two or three strictures in our girls over the years and she does it manually with no sedation - it only takes a second. The dogs barely blinked.

I just encountered my first one in 20 years, had it checked today when I did a puppy count x-ray. My repro vet simply clipped it as she stood there, didn't even flinch. You can wait until close to due date as it apparently frequently disappears by then.