C-Section?

[Ford Zoo]

I saw a post on another site where the doe had a C-section, healthy kids were delivered, then the doe passed. I noticed in the pictures that the vet removed the kids from the left side.

I thought the kids were on the right side? "Lunch on the left, runts on the right"?

But when I googled goat C-section pics, it seems the standard is to make the incision on the left? Am I backwards? Anyone have a good link?

[Wonderland]

I had a doe who needed a c section a few years ago. They cut her left side, too. She lived, but the kids did not. One was DOA (the one causing the problem) and the next died minutes after birth.

I never thought about that before now, though. The rumen is on the left side of the body, but I imagine the uterus actually takes up more space than just the right side? I think I need to Google some goat anatomy now!

I do remember my vet saying that she was unable to do a hysterectomy, which I had requested if possible (this doe had a tiny pelvis, per vet exam, and couldn't be bred again), because her uterus was too large. She said something along the lines that goat uteruses (uteri?) tend to stretch very large and often make hysterectomies challenging due to the risk of losing too much blood from such a large extraction. With that in mind, along with the left-side c-sections and the fact that the left side of a does body does often get larger in late pregnancy, surely the uterus is not confined solely to the right side of the body. It seems that the rumen is higher and further forward on the left side than the uterus.

Just as a side note, so many things can wrong with c sections and difficult births in general. Infection and uterine tear come to mind. I don't think the side of the incision impacted it.

[punchiepal]

Correct. Goats have 2 uterine horns. Babies can be in either side.
http://www.luresext.edu/photos/femtract.jpg

[yarrow]

We've had 2 vet c-sections over the years.. BIG single kids.. first doe was done by the dog/cat vet.. went into her from her belly. just in front of her udder.. incision ran up & down.. towards the udder/ up the belly.. she lived.. single buck lived.. (she has gone on to have twins & triplets every year for the past 5 year, since her surgery.. never a problem..

Had a doe this past year.. another BIG single.. (we could have gotten it out.. if not for the fact that the kid had twisted like a corkscrew at the waist) .. cow/sheep vet this time.. incision on left flank area.. got the kid out.. doe came home alive. but had internal bleeding.. I could tell she was getting weak.. I watched on the barn camera as she laid down.. fell asleep. and just faded away (she was so peaceful.. I knew she was dying.. I didn't want to wake her up.. so I just sat & cried and watched as she left us)..

I've done two barn c-setions.. one of my favorite doe in the herd.. She had labored just fine. first push.. I saw toes.. 2nd push.. heard/felt? (had my hand on her).. something pop/tear.. blood began to rush.. (her uterus had torn.. she was dying in front of my eyes.. tried to pull kid.. wouldn't budge.. when she tore.. the doeling had dropped down in side her.. out of the uterus and was hung up.. My daughter ran for the gun and my emergency bag.. we shot her and opened her (I flipped her to where her RIGHT side was up.. went into her in her sunken flank area.. had to work, but got the doeling up and out.. Doeling survive.. is still in the herd.. just had triplets 2 weeks ago..

had an older doe.. (this was to have been her last kidding). several weeks before due date.. she started loosing condition.. we treated her for ketosis.. she didn't get better.. but held level.. 10 days before her due date.. it was really cold/wind and icy rain.. just had a bad feeling (had been out watching her that afternoon.. she was up.. walking around.. eating hay. looking like she felt better.. then the cold front hit about dark.. Sent my son out to check on her before bed.. she was out of her barn.. laying in the rain.. doing the final death gasps.. he threw her into a wheel barrow.. got her to the house.. I met him with the gun and bag. shot her. c-sectioned living buck/doe twins.. same thing.. right side.. in the sunken area..

susie, mo ozarks

[mygoat]

It's veterinarian preference to some degree, but most incisions are done on the left for C sections in cattle and goats. On the left, there is only a rumen to get around. On the right, there's a bunch of other stuff to get through/around because the large and small intestines are also on that side.

But yes, kids are generally carried on the right side and rumen is on the left.

[goto10]

I've had one goat and one sheep each have c-sections, both were from the left side.

[Ford Zoo]

Thanks for the input, I learned something new.