Surgical Management of Dystocia in Local Breed Sheep: A Case Series

Dystocia means difficulty in parturition to the point of needing human intervention and it is a major cause of lamb loss in the flock and may result in great economic loss to the farmers. Two local breed adult ewes of different age and causes of dystocia were presented to Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) with the history of full-term gestation and three-month gestation in case 1 and 2, respectively. Clinical and physical examination finding revealed that there were weak and unable to stand, and straining in case 1 and anorexia, lethargy, recumbent with attempt to stand, abdominal distension and granting sound in case 2. Live fetus in case 1 and died fetus in case 2 was dictated up on abdominal palpation and ultrasonography findings. Vaginal examination also has undergone and revealed that incomplete dilation of cervix in case 1. Depending on diagnostic finding caesarian section were admitted and a single live fetus and a twin died fetuses were removed from case 1 and 2, respectively under line infiltration anaesthesia in case 1 and inverted “L” blocks in case 2. Following the successful caesarian section the dam of case 1 was died after 18-hours of post-surgery but the dam of case 2 was recovered uneventfully without any complications in period of 15 post-operative days.