Cesarean Section (graphic pics)

[randiliana]

Just thought some of you might be interested in the process, our first C-section in over 5 years. At least it was in the middle of the afternoon yesterday, rather than at 3 am.

A combo of a pretty big calf and a small heifer sometimes = a C-section. Sometimes the genetics just don't work, other than this calf our biggest out of the heifer bull has been 76 lbs. This one weighed 99 lbs, shouldn't have needed a C-section for this calf, even as heavy as it was. Mama has a one way ticket to the sale barn once she heals up. We'll either adopt the baby onto another cow or sell it to someone that needs the same thing.

First step, all shaved


Now, wash time


The needle that is used to freeze her....


The incision


Making sure ONLY the right layers get cut


Is that a foot


It IS


Out she comes...

[randiliana]

The left overs. They will get stuffed back in and she can deliver them the natural way


Successful operation, live mama, live baby.


Now to put her back together


Just a few more stitches and she'll be done


And that's it....

[April]

That is fascinating! Thank you for posting the pictures!

[topside1]

Thanks a zillion for your time and photos...Topside

[springvalley]

That was realy cool, and my 4 year old daughter thought so also, I havn`t seen one done in years. I guess I`m just lucky, havn`t had to do one for over twenty years. Thanks Marc

[shiandpete.1]

That is awesome! We just had a c section on a goat and I got to watch. Pretty darn cool!

[Ross]

Excellent pictorial!! One of the best I have seen on HT! Now where is my 16 year old daughter and her visiting friend!

[D Lynn]

Wow... just, wow!

[farmmaid]

EXCELLENT.......thank you for your time to post the pictures...

[katy]

It appears that the momma was awake for that whole ordeal ? How amazing and unreal. Thank you for the edumacation, but I don't ever want to do that. Is a vet needed at all, maybe shots, whatever ? thanks again.

[deineria]

Oh my gosh! Wow. . .makes human c-sections look like cake (I've had two) - lol!

[francismilker]

Thanks a million for the pics. I've explained this process to my kids on many occasions but fortunately they've never seen it at the house. I'll share your tutorial with them.

[Up North]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing.

[randiliana]

You're all quite welcome. We don't have a lot of c-sections, maybe one every 5 years or more. But I thought this would be a good opportunity to show how it is done around here.

Katy, she was wide awake for the whole process. If she'd been wild she would have likely gotten a sedative, but as it was the vet numbed her side where he was going to cut, and that was all. It is interesting to see it all. If you know what you're doing, you don't need a vet, but we haven't the knowledge, so we take them into the vet clinic to have them done.

[jerzeygurl]

very interesting, Thanks

[kclementsdvm]

Originally Posted by katy

It appears that the momma was awake for that whole ordeal ? How amazing and unreal. Thank you for the edumacation, but I don't ever want to do that. Is a vet needed at all, maybe shots, whatever ? thanks again.

Most vets prefer to do C-sections in awake animals - if you can adequately restrain the dam without general anesthesia, it's much better for the offspring. Otherwise, they too are anesthetized, and it can take them a long time to come out of it.

Yes, a vet is needed. Would you do your own human C-section? Unless of course it's a terminal C-section, and you are sacrificing mom to save baby - then all that's needed is a steady hand with a quick knife.

[jBlaze]

Pardon me if I missed the answer somewhere, but:

At what point did you decide a c-section needed to be done?

My one heiffer is not due till september, and I hope all will go well. I have helped deliver several goats. I have never run into a real problem yet, but I always wonder....

At what point is that call made, and what sort of time frame is ok?

thanks.
(Great pictures!!)

[randiliana]

Here you go, jBlaze...

At about noon we noticed her calving, she had had the waterbag, and you could see the tips of the feet. We left her alone for about an hour and then went back to check on her. At this point she had made no progress, and all you could see was the tips of the feet. We watched her a bit longer, and determined that she was in full labour, pushing hard, but not getting anywhere. So we brought her up to the barn with the plan to pull the calf. So, we gloved up, put the chains on and had a feel inside of her (a rule of thumb is that if you can get your hand over the poll as it is coming through the pelvis the cow has enough room to pull the calf). Things felt tight, but thought that the calf would fit at this point. We tried pulling by hand, and then hooked up the calf puller, but even with a fair amount of pressure on it, we could not get the head to come through the pelvis. This is when we decided that she needed a trip to the vet, where he could decide whether she should have a C-section or if it could be pulled. We were thinking C-section (lots of experience with pulling calves) but left the decision up to the Vet. He decided a C-section would be the best thing for her, better than crippling her or the calf with a really hard pull.

From the time we first noticed her calving (waterbag was broken) til she was stitched back up was about 4 hours.

[jBlaze]

Thank you for the explination.
I can see where it is also best to have a working relationship with your vet.

[NWMO]

Wow! Great pictures! Thanks for documenting!