Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Baymule]

Wow, what a day. Sorry about the lamb that you lost, it sure wasn't for lack of trying. Cutting the vulva, could you provide a detailed account of how you did that? I hope I never have to, but I don't think I could do that at this time. Perhaps with a more detailed explanation I could cowgirl up and git 'er done. I've never had to pull a lamb, but with all the lamb pulling descriptions here, I am sure I could do that. I've involved in calf pulling before, but that took a come along.

As far as being a little graphic, let 'er rip. Farming and raising animals is graphic, it ain't all ponies and rainbows. I admire you for pulling out all the stops to save the lamb, even if she didn't make it. But then you got the surprise of another lamb. Like you, I wouldn't keep the ewe or her lamb. It is sad when a ewe loses her lamb. Prolapse is something that no one wants their ewes to go through, no sense in breeding it into your flock.

 

[Ridgetop]

More bad news chez Ridgetop.

Had to euthanize the ewe that had diahrrea and looked like she was trying to go into labor yesterday. The lamb was too big and her pelvis was too small. After working on her this morning for an hour without being able to do more than get 3 fingers inside her, I called the vet out to see what we could do. She was trying to pass what looked like dead placenta and was unable to deliver. I tried to maneuver the lamb around to pull it out, but it felt like a spinal presentation. I couldn’t feel anything except a large bony blockage across the pelvis. I did feel something sharp next to it. I could not push it back inside to turn the lamb either because she was so small. Gas escaped out of her vagina as well - not a good sign.

Dr. Robertson and Dr. Wanner both arrived with their tech to try to get her lamb out. Dr. Wanner likes sheep and decided to come along when she heard Dr. Dave was on his way to our place. Dr. Robertson gave the ewe some Oxytocin to see if she would dilate but she was too far past that and didn’t even try to push. By the appearance of the placental material, the lamb was obviously dead, but we went ahead and sedated her hoping she would relax enough to be able to reposition the lamb and pull it out. We hoped to save the ewe. Dr. Wanner tried to get her hand inside to reposition the lamb but couldn’t even get inside enough to identify what part was blocking her tiny pelvis. While she was on her knees trying to reposition the lamb, the ewe was bleeding intermittently from her rectum. Both vets thought that the pressure of trying to give birth through that tiny pelvis might have broken lamb bones and caused a rupture or piercing of her internal parts. The ewe was just too small to give birth. At that point I told Dr. Dave to put her down since she was suffering. After she was dead, I rolled her over and could feel at least 2 large lambs inside her. They were sloshing around in fluid. I was surprised they felt so large since the sire has a history of producing small birthweight lambs.

At any rate, it was a very difficult morning. I hate outcomes like this. I also try to be very businesslike and unemotional with bad news since my vets both feel bad when they can’t save my animals. Holding in the emotion is hard on me too. It is mornings like this that moving into a condo looks good.

However, the ewe that I had to take a scalpel to the other day is doing well with her lamb. I had Dr. Robertson suture up the cuts I had made. He did a “purse string” suture so she would not prolapse vaginally. She is on pain meds and antibiotics, and will stay on them for the next month, but is eating well and nursing her lamb. Both vets were amazed that she was doing so well, and we discussed when we would put her down. She will never recover from the prolapse. She will be euthanized once her lamb is able to be weaned. It is the most humane thing to do for her.

DS1 and I discussed tail docking with both vets and the relationship to the prolapse and they agreed that the prolapsed ewe was probably docked too short which might have contributed to it. They agreed that the length DS1 uses when docking is safe. DS1 docks beyond the tail web and leaves several inches of tail.

On a happier note, DD1’s two younger children are spending the week with us since their father is back east on a business trip and DD1 leaves for work too early to get them to school. They are thrilled at this “sleepover”.

Cutting the vulva, could you provide a detailed account of how you did that? I hope I never have to, but I don't think I could do that at this time.

It was definitely not fun. Over the years I have lost a few animals that I could have saved by having the right equipment and being willing to take those steps. Each time I second guess myself along the way. Each time I try to remember afterward what I should have done to save the animal. In this case, the lamb was going to die and I was afraid I would lose the ewe too. Losing the ewe was less of a worry because she must be euthanized after weaning the lamb anyway but she was in a lot of pain. And if I could save the lamb it was worth a try.

The reason I decided to try cutting the muscle tissue was because we had a dairy doe years ago that had scar tissue in her vulva from a previous kidding before we bought her. When she tried to kid the scar tissue would not soften and allow the vagina to efface. I could feel the muscle band blocking the birth. That time the kid died and I took the doe to the vet hospital where the vet cut the scar tissue and delivered the dead kid. If I had done that during her labor I could have saved the kid. The doe never bred again due to interior scarring. When I felt a similar muscle band keeping this lamb from being able to come out, I decided to try cutting it to save the lamb. It worked.

When I was trying to pull the lamb I could feel the muscle band that was not allowing the lamb to come out. It was also not allowing my hand to be able to reach in and pull on the lamb. That band of tissue was what I cut with the scalpel. I wouldn't have done it if there was any other way. This ewe was already scheduled to be euthanized. She would not be bred again after my surgery. Also, she was in a lot of pain trying to lamb and would have died if I had not done this. The enormous swelling of her rectal processes due to the prolapse were putting too much pressure on her birth canal. I think that without the rectal swelling bearing down on the vulva this ewe would have been able to deliver the lamb with my help, even though it was so big. Cutting her vulva enabled me to get my hand in to move the baby around. Moving the lamb around might not have been necessary if the rectal swelling had not been so intense. Because of the crazy swelling the lamb's face was pushed up over the hip bones into the swollen tissue and trapped while its front legs were folded under the lower pelvic bones of the ewe.

Adrenaline keeps you going during emergencies. Afterwards you sort of collapse and shake.

 

[Ridgetop]

More graphic pictures here . . . .

I mentioned a suture type called "purse string". This is a method of sewing up the vulva to prevent a vaginal prolapse. The stitches are run around the vaginal/vulvular opening and gathered up so it is like a drawstring purse. This type of suturing is used to keep a vaginal prolapse from happening. This is also used to prevent premature birth when the vaginal muscle is compromised and a premature delivery would happen. When labor and delivery starts the stitches are cut and pulled out allowing the vagina to open for the birth.

Again pretty graphic.
This looks much worse than it actually is due to the excessively swollen tissue. You can see the drawstring effect of the sutures holding the opening together. My vet used this type of stitching because of the several cuts in the vulva. He also wanted it to be open for drainage from the birth. Many years ago, when we stitched up another ewe with a vaginal prolapse we used an X stitch across the vulva after replacing the vagina. At that time that ewe did not have any cuts or tears and had no need to drain.

FYI: You can use large curved carpet needles and dental floss for this if you don't have surgical needles and surgical thread. After every problem occurring at our place we buy the equipment we will need if it occurs again. In fact, the vet used my large curved surgical needle since he didn't have one with him. LOL Store the surgical needles in alcohol in a jar. They won't rust and will be sterile when you need them. A surgical scissors that is used to remove stitches is a good thing to keep in your medical cabinet too. (I keep one in our human medical box as well.) I keep disposal scalpels in my medical cabinet. They are useful for abscesses, cutting away dead tissue, etc. Giant 60 cc syringes (no needle) can be used to drench small ruminants if you don't have a drench gun. I have one but apparently I need a new one since the metal applicator broke off in the ewe's mouth! It was old and the plastic part got brittle. All these things are handy to keep on hand for emergencies. It is too late to order those emergency supplies from Jeffers during the emergency! LOL Naturally I keep 3cc syringes with a 3/4" #20 needle for sub Q vaccinations. Larger #18 needles are necessary for administering thick meds like Penicillin. Also those needles should be about 1 1/2" for intra muscular injections in adult animals.

 

[Bruce]

Adrenaline keeps you going during emergencies. Afterwards you sort of collapse and shake.

I bet and then that night you sleep the sleep of the dead because you are SPENT!

 

[Baymule]

You are tougher than I am. When we had to have my favorite ewe put down, I was bawling my heart out. I'm pretty tough most of the time, but when I lose it, I'm a goner.

I am really sorry about losing the ewe and her lambs. It is a bitter pill to swallow when no matter how hard you try, it just isn't good enough. You did your best, the vets tried, but it was not to be.

The purse string suture is interesting. I have never dealt with such a thing, probably would blow it if I did. If an animal is dying or going to die, then take the chance, do something desperate, you might save her. You saved the prolapse ewe and one lamb. You already knew the ewe would be put down, but you saved a lamb out of a bad experience. The ewe won't recover, but at least she is raising her lamb. I'd say you did good job of it.

 

[Ridgetop]

I bet and then that night you sleep the sleep of the dead because you are SPENT!

Actually I often have nightmares reliving it and not being successful at saving anything. Possibly from holding in the feelings at the time. Takes at least a couple weeks to get over it. At least DS1 called for dead animal pickup who came and took her away promptly.

Thank you all for your support and kindness.

Yes, Bay, we have one ewe lamb out of her. Both ewes - the one that died and the one that will be put down were 2 of my new Utah ewes from the same sire. I may decide not to dock this lamb, keep her, and see what happens. I have one more ewe out of a different top sire from that flock and hope for a better outcome. She is actually the best ewe of the 3 so hopefully will lamb successfully. She looks like she is carrying twins so maybe one will be a nice ewe lamb. The 4th ewe from that flock is out of similar lines to the maternal lines on those 2 ewes. She was bred before I bought her and delivered a single ram lamb. He is really nice, but I don't need any more rams so won't be keeping him. However, that ewe is nice and healthy and can be bred again to one of my rams. I will have to go back and look over the ewe crop and decide which of the ewe lambs I will keep to replace these 2 ewes. I was planning to sell most of them but now will need to keep a couple. I will look at conformation and bloodlines to decide. They ewe lambs on the ground now are all out of 3 different sires so they will be a nice mix. Just will be needing more handling to make sure of sire selection for their lambs. Our ewe lambs are docked properly leaving about 2" of tail so less likely to have any prolapse problem.

I am hoping for a successful lambing for the last 3 ewes.

 

[Bruce]

So are we!!! You've had too many problems already. Time for the final 3 to be easy.

 

[Ridgetop]

Is anything ever easy with livestock?

It s always the unexpected! LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

So the prolapsing ewe is doing well, but after yesterday I decided not to put off calling around to get some fresh goat milk to put in the freezer in case of any bummer lambs. I already have a little colostrum but wanted some fresh goat milk too. SHOCK! The woman I thought was a fixture in dairy goats has sold up and EVEN BIGGER SHOCK! has moved out of state. I didn't realize it had been such a long time since we talked! We were not in the same county and only saw each other at Fairs so I suppose it is not surprising that we lost touch.

I just sent an email to another friend that is still a 4-H leader with a large club a little further away to see if she has any dairy goat project members with does in milk. Hopefully I can find someone close, otherwise I must drive about 3 hours away to DS2's good friend (former 4-Hers together) who has a goat dairy somewhere in Riverside. (When I say close, I actually mean about an hour away! LOL) I will either freeze the milk, or can it. Canning it is easier on freezer space, and means I don't have to thaw anything in an emergency. I will also see if I can buy any goat colostrum too to put in the freezer. Goat is close enough to sheep colostrum, and fresh is better than manufactured. I can use the recipe from BYH for lamb formula but really prefer to use at least part real goat milk.

I think DS2 has a class this weekend and it is fairly close to Leanne's area. Maybe he can drive over and pick up some goat milk for me after class. I will send an ice chest and several bottles with him if he is agreeable and she has milk for sale.

Planning for future emergencies helps.

 

[Bruce]

Maybe you should just bring home a doe in milk so you have a ready supply