Ovine Caesarean sections and assisted vaginal deliveries: a clinical audit

Abstract

Obstetrical difficulties in sheep traditionally account for the majority of sheep veterinary work in the spring. Throughout the 2021–22 lambing season 21 practices provided data on assisted vaginal deliveries (lambings) and ovine Caesarean sections. Information including lamb presentation, medicines administered, surgical preparation, morbidity and mortality were all recorded with the aim of understanding the choices made by practitioners and any variation in outcomes, and to compare these to the existing literature to produce best practice advice to the group. 7-day survival rates were favourable (86.2% of ewes lambed and 94.8% of ewes undergoing Caesarean section). All ewes undergoing Caesarean section received meloxicam, however, wider variation in other medicines administered was recorded, alongside significant variation in surgical preparation techniques of both the patient and the surgeon. A series of safe operating procedures and information guides were produced relating to antibiotic selection (following European Medicines Agency guidance), local anaesthetic use in sheep and, performing the sacrococcygeal epidural.