The Clover Calamity

It went on for several days.  I never realized how concerned and worried I was until the Vet pulled out of the driveway.  Poor Clover....

Clover is Smudge's lamb from last year.  Smudge has, well, a smudged faced.  It looks as if she stuck her face in the ashes of a fireplace.  Smudge is a character with a strong focus on food.  Thus, I thought a food related name for her ewe lamb was in order and clover is something sheep like to eat.

Clover is also a best buddy of Ruby Dooby.  When Ruby had her spay surgery Clover was one of the sheep that kept her company for the two weeks she was in the box stall.  Clover is very accepting of both dogs.  She can be found lying in a doorway and does not move; others have to go around her, whereas most sheep would jump up to be out of the way, especially the way of an oncoming dog.

She was getting big and I was pretty sure she was going to have twins.  Finally on the Saturday evening she was off by herself and was not eating.  She was not chewing her cud either.  That evening I was able to put her into a pen.  Nothing seemed to be happening.  It needed time I thought.

On Sunday I checked her numerous times.  It was now more obvious that the birthing process had begun but she still did not lay down and push.  I consulted my shepherding neighbour.  Between the two of us - she came over to check out Clover - we found that she was not dilated enough, that lambing had begun, no lamb was stuck...  It just wasn't right though.  After another hour, I called the Vet.

He called me back quite quickly for a Sunday after hours call.  The Vet and I have really gotten to know each other in the last ten days.  He arrived in less than an hour.  Despite all his efforts he was surprised that she was so poorly dilated.  He managed though to break the water.  It was dark - not a good sign. 

We decided to leave it overnight, that the breaking of the water should be prompt enough to get the process moving along.  If not, a caesarian section was in order.

I checked Clover several times during the night and all was the same.  I examined her at about 7:30 and all was the same.  I could feel something, but it was not a foot or a nose...  I called the Vet.  His office suggested he would be here late morning.

Dr. McG - yes, he's a Mc while we are Mac - arrived at eleven o'clock.  The service is mobile.  There is no clinic.  Dr. McG examined Clover again and concurred my findings.  He began set up for surgery.  There's a workbench in the barn, alongside Clover's pen and that was cleared off for the surgical site.  He located an electrical outlet for his clippers.  I brought over the trouble light for lighting the area.

He had already given Clover a sedative.  We lifted her onto the workbench and I stationed myself at her head.  She was immobile very quickly.  I put a towel under her face.  Dr. McG began shearing / clipping the surgical area.  I wanted the fleece so we piled it up nearby.  And then he washed the area about three times with three different 'soaps'. 

My Sister had arrived on Sunday afternoon just as the neighbour was leaving.  We chatted briefly over a tea.  I explained what was on for dinner, that I had thawed a roast beef because she was joining us but that she now would be cooking it.  She took over in the kitchen and I went back outside.  I was gone several hours tending to the Vet then doing chores.  We met back up over dinner.  She hadn't planned to stay overnight but changed her mind.  She had an emergency toothbrush and jammies with her.

I was so grateful for her help.  She appeared in the barn just as Dr. McG was completing the clipping.  I was attached to Clover and not much help with anything else.  Sister got a bag and gathered up the fleece.  She stood by and was that extra pair of hands that one needs in such crazy situations.

I explained to the Vet that I can be squeemish so if I turned my back to him he was not to take it personally.  I am usually okay, but some days....  He explained that he really did not know what we would find.  He began.

As the abdominal cavity was exposed Dr. McG let out an explanation of surprise and jumped back a bit as fluid rushed out of the cavity toward him and onto the floor.  I wondered if her guts just landed on the floor, but thankfully not.  He explained to me later that this was fluid from inflammation.

There was another surprise voiced as the dead and deformed fetus fell to the floor.  It was HUGE and he called it a calf.  No sheep could have delivered that.  As we discussed, it was a one-off, genetic malformation.  When he examined the carcass later we saw how it was so full of fluid, that the huge and puffy ear was likely what we had felt that morning.

I said we made all the right calls.  From my calling him on a Sunday, to waiting an additional twelve hours to moving forward with the c-section.  There was nothing we could or would  have done differently with the information that we had.

Clover began to stir as he completed his stitch work.  Closing her up seemed to take a long time.  Dr. McG administered a long lasting anti-inflammatory and antibiotic.  I was to give her a five day course of antibiotics.  Amazingly, as we moved her from the table to the pen floor, he said she would stand, and she did.

It was now about one o'clock and I was very hungry.  Sister and I had bacon and eggs and she headed back to the big city.  Having experienced several nights of distressful sleep I had a good solid nap.

It was Wednesday before Clover began to look more like herself.  Her eyes were brighter and she was more engaged with her surroundings.  She fought with me a bit as I gave her an oral liquid supplement.  She was now drinking and eating.  Later that day I saw her chewing her cud for the first time since the weekend.  She is on the mend.