Sunday, Day of Rest
Wisdom speaks (see lucentwarrior's comment on the previous post). But it is more fun and sincere to write of something in the present than in the past. It is more poignant. But, wait, let me check the chair for cow mucosa...
I left most of my clothes in a bag in the laundry room for the kennel assistants to wash. I felt I was being kind to place it all in a bag so it wouldn't spread its odors around the treatment room.
However, I left my calving chains/eye hook/handles in the sink in a basin of water w/ chlorhexidine disinfectant. This, I think, was fine. Er, but the bucket with small amount of sludge and bottles of soap/lube/alcohol was very odoriferous and I left it in the treatment room and my poor techs were rather disgusted with me this morning as the smell indeed had spread. Oops.
***
It all began as a peaceful Sunday afternoon, banging around the house, listening to "Matilda" (book on CD) by Roald Dahl, writing in my journal. A fellow called, found a heifer with a dead calf head hanging out the vulva. The heifer was on his back 40, way up in the woods, and the heifer wasn't exactly tame... so he was initially reticent to have me come out, was worried we wouldn't be able to get close enough to help her. Eventually he got her into a corral with a chute attached, and desired me to come out.
The place was a ranch some miles east of Sutherlin. The driveway was 0.6 miles long and lined by "No Trespassing," "Trespassing is a Criminal Offense," "Keep Out" styles of signs. Well, I wasn't trespassing and the fellow with the heifer didn't sound like a lecherous tweaker so I wasn't worried.
I arrived at the corral, and realized this event was a family affair. The owner's two grown sons, at least two granddaughters, his wife -- all were out to help and observe. The oldest granddaughter sought to record the event on camera (yikes! I think she got some good ones). As it turned out, I couldn't have done it without the help. Yesterday I didn't know how to use the calf jack -- now I do, thanks to Dr Stutz's tutelage -- and I relied on the strength of the son who could leg press 800 pounds.
Sedate cow, place caudal epidural, realize calf has been dead some number of hours (24-48 hrs). At this stage I was turned off by the smell and feel of the necrosis, but eventually the repulsion cleared. I cleaned the calf head and shoved my arm inside the cow to check things out. The calf was in anterior presentation and dorsosacral position, but both front legs were bent back at the knee and blocking passage of the calf from the cow.
First things first -- cut the calf head off. The calf didn't even bleed, it had been dead so long. I shoved the neck back and pulled the right leg forward easily. Shoving on the calf expressed the cow's bladder -- straight down the front of my overalls and onto my face. There was blood and urine and uterine fluid spewing out at me. This is where you "embrace the goo" and don't think about how you're going to ride home without out smelling up the vet truck.
The left calf leg WOULD NOT UNBEND and come forward!!! I should perhaps have taken off the right leg, but didn't think of that until later.
The kind owners brought me a bottle of water, which I drank through lips coated with cow slime. The water was flavored with the nastiness.
I shoved on the calf and tried unbending the left leg. I pumped lube into the uterus. Eventually the epidural wore off and the cow was pushing against my efforts. I found myself getting disgusted at the cow, but of course it wasn't her fault. I tried using both arms, etc, etc. When my arm is being squeezed inside a cow, it makes my arm weak and incapable. I'd go to grab the foot and hardly be able to close my fingers around it. Finally, I got a chain around the lower part of the left leg. With me pushing back on the knee and the strong son pulling on the leg, we brought the left leg forward. FINALLY!!
Then it was largely a matter of brute force. Thank God for the ability (not mine!) to leg press 800 pounds. The calf became locked at both shoulders and hips, but we eventually got it out.
As expressed by the strong son, the cow may not live but at least we know we gave her everything we had.
Last night I got the one and only tip I've ever gotten as a veterinarian. I guess the battle looked hard and disgusting enough to warrant one... but I was just glad the people were nice to work with and we got the calf out. I couldn't have asked for better help.
Early this morning after arriving home I took a double action LONG shower... and could still smell cow on me at work today.
Today my arms have broken out with red spots which are likely infected hair follicles from the long bath in uterus/calf goo. Last time I pulled a dead calf I had poison oak which got infected. But there's no good way to pull a calf with gloves on.
I left most of my clothes in a bag in the laundry room for the kennel assistants to wash. I felt I was being kind to place it all in a bag so it wouldn't spread its odors around the treatment room.
However, I left my calving chains/eye hook/handles in the sink in a basin of water w/ chlorhexidine disinfectant. This, I think, was fine. Er, but the bucket with small amount of sludge and bottles of soap/lube/alcohol was very odoriferous and I left it in the treatment room and my poor techs were rather disgusted with me this morning as the smell indeed had spread. Oops.
It all began as a peaceful Sunday afternoon, banging around the house, listening to "Matilda" (book on CD) by Roald Dahl, writing in my journal. A fellow called, found a heifer with a dead calf head hanging out the vulva. The heifer was on his back 40, way up in the woods, and the heifer wasn't exactly tame... so he was initially reticent to have me come out, was worried we wouldn't be able to get close enough to help her. Eventually he got her into a corral with a chute attached, and desired me to come out.
The place was a ranch some miles east of Sutherlin. The driveway was 0.6 miles long and lined by "No Trespassing," "Trespassing is a Criminal Offense," "Keep Out" styles of signs. Well, I wasn't trespassing and the fellow with the heifer didn't sound like a lecherous tweaker so I wasn't worried.
I arrived at the corral, and realized this event was a family affair. The owner's two grown sons, at least two granddaughters, his wife -- all were out to help and observe. The oldest granddaughter sought to record the event on camera (yikes! I think she got some good ones). As it turned out, I couldn't have done it without the help. Yesterday I didn't know how to use the calf jack -- now I do, thanks to Dr Stutz's tutelage -- and I relied on the strength of the son who could leg press 800 pounds.
Sedate cow, place caudal epidural, realize calf has been dead some number of hours (24-48 hrs). At this stage I was turned off by the smell and feel of the necrosis, but eventually the repulsion cleared. I cleaned the calf head and shoved my arm inside the cow to check things out. The calf was in anterior presentation and dorsosacral position, but both front legs were bent back at the knee and blocking passage of the calf from the cow.
First things first -- cut the calf head off. The calf didn't even bleed, it had been dead so long. I shoved the neck back and pulled the right leg forward easily. Shoving on the calf expressed the cow's bladder -- straight down the front of my overalls and onto my face. There was blood and urine and uterine fluid spewing out at me. This is where you "embrace the goo" and don't think about how you're going to ride home without out smelling up the vet truck.
The left calf leg WOULD NOT UNBEND and come forward!!! I should perhaps have taken off the right leg, but didn't think of that until later.
The kind owners brought me a bottle of water, which I drank through lips coated with cow slime. The water was flavored with the nastiness.
I shoved on the calf and tried unbending the left leg. I pumped lube into the uterus. Eventually the epidural wore off and the cow was pushing against my efforts. I found myself getting disgusted at the cow, but of course it wasn't her fault. I tried using both arms, etc, etc. When my arm is being squeezed inside a cow, it makes my arm weak and incapable. I'd go to grab the foot and hardly be able to close my fingers around it. Finally, I got a chain around the lower part of the left leg. With me pushing back on the knee and the strong son pulling on the leg, we brought the left leg forward. FINALLY!!
Then it was largely a matter of brute force. Thank God for the ability (not mine!) to leg press 800 pounds. The calf became locked at both shoulders and hips, but we eventually got it out.
As expressed by the strong son, the cow may not live but at least we know we gave her everything we had.
Last night I got the one and only tip I've ever gotten as a veterinarian. I guess the battle looked hard and disgusting enough to warrant one... but I was just glad the people were nice to work with and we got the calf out. I couldn't have asked for better help.
Early this morning after arriving home I took a double action LONG shower... and could still smell cow on me at work today.
Today my arms have broken out with red spots which are likely infected hair follicles from the long bath in uterus/calf goo. Last time I pulled a dead calf I had poison oak which got infected. But there's no good way to pull a calf with gloves on.
posted by Claire at 17:48
2 Comments:
I love your posts!
Thanks! :)
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