5 risks of a hernia repair

Adult ruminants (sheep, goats, cattle, alpaca) face a lot more risks when under general anaesthesia compared to cats and dogs, including: • bloat; • regurgitation; • loss of too much saliva.

Baby ruminants are spared these risks as they're not eating grass but face others such as hypothermia and low blood sugar.

Thankfully, Katie fell between baby and adult, which worked in her favour. She received fluids spiked with sugar and was kept warm throughout her surgery.

The biggest challenge in this type of operation is keeping the metres of curling intestines on the inside during surgery. Ruminants produce a lot of gas. As you try to suture the wound closed, a massive amount of gas-filled intestines are trying to battle their way out onto the surgical table, making it a tricky and timeconsuming procedure. Sometimes multiple assistants are needed to hold everything in place.