An unforseen happy ending

This sweet yearling had her first baby this past Sunday morning. We didn't intend for her to get bred this year, and actually, thought that all was well up until she started making milk a few weeks ago. Back in January, we thought she had a prolapse on the back side, but the vet determined that her intestines had been "fischered" (sp?) (torn). We don't know how it happened - possibly a goat hooked her with their horns while they were feeding? Not sure, but long story short, she was a mess and she would need surgery. The vet didn't know that she would make it. He said the only other similiar case that he knew of was a calf and that the calf didn't make it - plus sheep strain so much, it would be hard to keep the stitches in.

The sweet thing about this gal is that she was wild as could be prior to this happening, but when it came time to go to the vet, she was like a pet! (keeping in mind, she got to ride in the car on my lap... i wasn't driving...) She just sat so still laying her head on my shoulder and watching out the window. Sort of got the feeling she knew we were getting help for her. She was calm as could be on the ride home as well, and she sure knew when we were back in our driveway! We decided to back up and take her to our other barn and she -for the first time on the trip- tried to get up and away! And they say sheep aren't smart. She had watched out the window the entire trip, and I have a feeling she would've found her way home if we'd left her at the vets. lol.

Chances are she'd jump back in the car for a road trip if the opportunity presented itself.

so, here's the happy ending..

We were so glad that she made it through her lambing without any problems. She had a little ram (and who here hasn't this year?) and she is a wonderful mother that just loves her little baby and he is a sweet little thing! I tried to get a better picture of him, but he was pretty busy.