Question: Suppose we have a smooth dynamical system on $R^n$ (defined by a system of ODEs). Assuming that the system has a finite set of fixed points, I am interested in knowing (or obtaining references about) what is the behaviour of its fixed point structure under perturbations of the ODEs. More specifically, i would like to know under which conditions the total number of fixed points remains the same. By perturbations I mean generic changes in the system of equations... the more general the better.

I am sorry if the question is too basic, my interest comes from the study of the so-called renormalization flow in field theories. In particular, it would be important for me to generate an intuition about the conditions under which the approximations performed over a dynamical system alters its fixed point structure.

Answer: 
A good reference for this sort of thing is Guckenheimer and Holmes, *Nonlinear Oscillations, Dynamical Systems, and Bifurcations of Vector Fields*, Springer-Verlag, 1983, if you're not already familiar with it (and even if you are, for that matter). Chapter 3 in particular is relevant to your question.
A little bit more general than the previous answer: Given a singularity of a vector field such that the derivative is invertible, the singularity persists under perturbations. This is because the zero of the vector field in this case is transversal (so, it persist by C1 perturbations). 

Otherwise, depending on the local structure in a local neighborhood, it can be "removed" after perturbation (in the case the index is zero) or bifurcate in more than one singularity (in the case the index is non zero and the singularity is not hyperbolic). 

Generic singularities are hyperbolic in the dissipative setting. In the conservative one, one may have elliptic singularities robustly, but generically these will be also persistent. 

This being local, may be studied in Rn as well as in a manifold.