I just fixed a vaginal prolapse (cow) - ask me anything!

Bet the lounge has never seen that subject line. hee hee

in James Herriot's books. Messy business! Have a brew: :beer:

almost had me going to vet school.

Way easier than a uterine prolapse - those are a frigging nightmare. Still, a bit of work. I think she will be ok - her baby is real cute and he is fine. These poor girls could really use some rain and real feed. A few more weeks. crossed fingers, wood knocking etc

and thanks! :beer:

So how is it that you're fixing prolapsed uteri when you're not a vet? Do you raise livestock?

Family has been here 4 generations, my kids are the fifth. You learn to do these things. Vets are not as expensive as human docs, but for most stuff like this, once you have seen it done, it's not that hard - probably would have cost $200 - more if the vet came out here. And thankfully it doesn't happen often. We are in a bad drought and while I am feeding them a little extra, they are not in maximum shape, that is for sure. She was a little thin and the weather is really hot, first baby etc. It happens once in a while.

Sounds like a lot of hard work... You must really love it!

I am VERY lucky to be able to do this. Not to say it isn't hard and some days aren't "I quit"ers,
but the pluses far outweigh the negatives at least for me.

Rancher, which = vet, mechanic, laborer, driver, construction worker, engineer, mother, etc etc

Where is Baja Arizona?

Are you in Mexico?

:hi:

I am in Southeastern Arizona. Cochise county (Tombstone, Bisbee etc)

How are you doing DEAR CP?

Just noodling around in the Lounge tonight, killing some time!

I've never heard of any part of Arizona being called Baja! Something new for me...

The things you learn here....it's amazing!

:hi:

Kind of a joke about Baja Arizona seceding from the control of the megapolis of the Phx/metro area to the North.

Tombstone and Bisbee. Did you see this? The photo was taken on the Bisbee main street, where a fellow had a dog, cat and three mice arranged in this fashion:



Great places! Very hot and dry, and Phoenix was in the midst of a 120+ day drought.

Even the cactus were struggling for a drink.

By the way, we saw that Sedona's Oak Creek Canyon is threatened by fire today. Started by lightning. Hope it doesn't do much damage. That was one beautiful ride!

In peace,

Radio_Lady and hubby

retained placenta is just about the grossest job there is, I would say. I am SO glad I don't live in the era of screw worms. That would be the worst for me. I can remember the eradication program and doctoring animals as pervention as a kid but thankfully I never saw (or at least have blocked it from my memory) an infestation. :scared: :puke:

.. actually worse, I think ...

pretty gross. Grease trap - not for a commercial outfit, but done plenty here - putrid placenta is worse and no matter how careful you are it gets on you and once it does .... well, I don't like to think about it.

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

I was in a travel store in Santa Barbara, CA (my new town). There was a big German dude working the counter.

He came up to me and asked in a very direct tone "Vhere are you goink?"

I said "Um... well, I was thinking, like, Mexico, but I don't think that's going to happen this year."

"Vhere are you goink inshtead of Mexico?"

"Um, like, Southeast Arizona."

"And vhen you shay Souteast Ahrizona, vhat comesh to mind?"

"Like, the Chiricahuas and the Huachucas and the Santa Ritas and that whole area."

"Is that sho?"

"Like, yah. Have you been down there?"

With a casual flick of the hand the man says "Shometimes. Vhat do you vhant to do down zhere?"

"Like, look at birds."

"And vhat shpecifically lures you to zhat area?"

"Um, well, the birds and like, the scenery and all that."

"Have you been zhere before?"

"Yeah, like three times."

"Haff you been to Tombstone?"

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, like once."

"Haff you been to ze Buenos Aires refuge?"

"Yeah, it's like, an easy place to get lost in."

"Haff you been to Patagonia?"

"Like, yeah."

"Haff you been to ze San Rafael Valley?"

"Like, I drove through once."

"Haff you been to Portal?"

"Oh, totally. The cafe there puts black pepper in their refried beans... yummy."

"I live in Sonoita."

You can always find them - they are the world's travelers. There used to be a German guy that had a dude ranch around Tombstone, not sure if he is still around. About the only time I go there is ... ha ha... when my German friends are around.

I saw a really dark blue bird the other day - it kind of swooped like the (chihuahuan scrub) jays do but much darker metalic blue, at least on its back and that was about all I saw - any idea what that might have been?

The birds that immediately come to mind are Mexican and Stellar's Jays (but now I am forgetting whether you have Steller's down there :P )

bouldery open canyon with mesquite (Texas Canyon to be exact if you really know the area) I think it was too dark. I think Stellers are higher or further north. (not positive though, birds aren't my best subject but tend to know most of the usual around here)

could it possibly have just been a starling? it was metalic dark blue

I'm stumped.

we have friends that own several dairy concerns...and the flies are everywhere x( cause it ain't no Sartre play, it's just the way it is

Usually they are worse after it rains and on into the fall, I guess they are after moisture. Not to mention the dogie calf in the yard - oops.

I was under the impression dairies were much more into heavy fly control, interesting.

BTW your subject line is missing an F and I thought you were talking about my rebublican nieghbors or something :7

in that sub line :dunce: :hi:

:D

I was hesitant to even post it, but like to learn the city slickers a thang or two oncit in a while.

Only with a vagina.

For various reasons sometimes the inside "parts" get pushed outside - weakened pelvic muscles and birthing are the most common reasons, nutrition, genetics and conformation play a roll. Size of the baby etc.

It can happen to people too. A bit more work and expense to fix. With a cow you just kind of clean everything off real good, shove it back in and take a couple of labial stiches. Then you have to remember to take them out or they can interfere with the next birth. (depending on when and why the prolapse happens - before or after birth - you can take them out early or you have to leave them in until right as the next calf is coming.)

for large animal vet purposes?

the stiches for this are external and they are not actually stiches in the sense that they close a wound that will then heal - they are actually done with special tape (vaginal tape) just to hold the opening closed (with room for fluids to pass) so that the prolapse stays in and the muscles that normally hold things in place can heal and do their job again. Sometimes that doesn't happen so you just leave the cow stiched up until the next birth. Usually just two are made, normal mating occurs - its not like everything is sealed as you would with a wound elsewhere on the body.

They even have these special plastic "holders" for sheep - it must be more common for them and I don't know how they work but have seen them in vet catalogues.

and I suspect a few other animals with vaginas and uteri ;)
(for the curious)...
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000501/2719.html

and still can't quite figure out how that happens. I've heard of a prolapsed uterus, but I can't quite figure out how a tube can invert itself. Hopefully I'll never really need to know.

Usually that sock is attached to the abdominal wall, or some membrane or something else fixed to the abdomen.

If it becomes detached, it can turn itself partially inside out, like when you take off a sock from the top down.

getting even more graphic.

but yet I still did and am feeling compelled to post in it as well...what the hell is wrong with me? :crazy:

MMmmmm medical procedures.

I didn't want to become one because I hate putting animals down. I have to do it sometimes, but not as much as if I were doing it for a living.




well that and I screwed around too much in school and never finished:o

That's technically what my doctorate is in, although I really didn't do much traditional parasitology research. Doing gut counts after leaving them in sealed containers to "loosen up" overnight is especially unpleasant. As is intestinal surveys of road kills...

I actually "like" learning about the subject - photos don't bother me (much) but live wriggling things kinda bug the HELL out of me. So glad the days of screw worm are in the past (fingers crossed etc)

forensics has always been interesting too - the technical term being "ewww poke it with a stick"

.... do crop surgery on a chicken once. I can only imagine how much bigger the job is on a cow!

The ones about 3 inches long with a wooden toggle on the end.



I've had good luck with them, they tend not to cut into the labia so much as the tape and they're easier to insert and extract.

but haven't seen them in any of the vet catalogues I buy from - just the sheep ones. Any idea where I can find them? (I know Google is my friend)

but I could only find a Canadian source



http://www.compass-ah.com/website/catalogue.php?pageno=2&oldcat=ob%20care

I saw them yesterday in the TSC (Tractor Supply Company- go figger). How many do you want?

Much harder job. They are huge and kind of billowy - really hard to stuff back in, and they always seem to get injured and covered with dirt before you can do anything. They USUALLY happen when a calf is too big or cow too small or young and then needs assistance - known as "pulling" and that is literally what has to be done. That can cause everything to come out.

I had a subthread in this thread

hmmm:shrug: