WARNING !!!!!!!!

This page consists of VERY graphic photos SO if you are at all queasy, it is simple -  DO NOT view this page :)

All of these shots are thumbnails so click on each one to see the larger photo.

The above 3 photos are showing our girl getting set up for her IV fluids through the vein in her front leg. As you can tell, she is NOT impressed with the procedure :)

Above on left is Sassy getting prepared for intubation, after receiving an induction agent. An endotracheal tube is inserted in her trachea in order to hook her up to the anesthesia machine which will maintain her through the entire procedure. In the middle shot, the tube has been inserted in her trachea and the right photo shows her on the table fully hooked up for her c-section / spay. We chose to spay this girl since she had trouble getting live kittens when she delivered them on her own. She is going to live with my son and his fiance this fall.

Above left you can see the iodine used to sterilize Sassy's tummy before the first incision. There are 3 other steps before this to get her surgically prepped. In the centre photo, my vet lays the surgery drape over Sassy's abdomen to keep the surgical area sterile. Next we have the first incision through the tissue layer.

These two shots are of the incisions to both the fat layer as well as the muscle layer.

And here we have it, the first incision that exposes the uterus in the left photo. The middle photo shows one uterine horn being exposed and on the right is the entire uterus out. There are damp cloths placed under the uterus so it does not dry out. In the right photo, you can actually count all 5 babies inside the two horns. You also are able to clearly see all the blood vessels etc... which feed the blood to the babies while they are inside the uterus. Quite an amazing sight if you have never seen it before. I am always in with my cats when they have surgery so I am very lucky to have seen this many times.

OH, baby number one is making its' entrance to our human world !! This one is coming out head first very gently. The babies actually get squeezed out gently one at a time by my vet. In the center photo is baby number one, still attached to the uterus. The umbilical cord has been tied off with suture material so we do not need to have clumsy hemostats attached to the babies while drying them and getting them to breathe on their own. In the right shot, baby number 2 makes his entrance back end first.

Above left is the uterus which is now detached from the mother since she is being spayed at the same time. In the center photo, you can see a ovarian cyst which is not uncommon to see. It obviously did not hinder this mom from becoming pregnant and carrying her babies full term. On the right, we now begin to stitch mom back up.

Sassy is stitched up in the reverse order from at the beginning. In the middle, the final incision is closed and on the right, mom just needs a good clean up before she wakes up.

New babies wiggling about and getting dried off. What a beautiful sight to see. You can see that our vet tech and receptionist take great care of the wee ones to get them breathing on their own. Each baby gets two different medicines under their tongues, one to reverse the drugs and 1 to stimulate them to breathe on their own. I have to thank my vets family as they are always there to lend a hand when we are doing a c-section. Every extra hand we can get is worth its' weight in gold !!

VOILA !!!! A beautiful litter of 3 girls and 2 boys which we have named the FAB FIVE :) As you can see, all babies are staying very toasty warm in their incubator while mom wakes fully from her ordeal at home. She will then take over the duties of raising these sweethearts until they are ready for their new homes, where they can be loved as much as they are here with us.

We hope we have given you a glimpse of something you may never get the chance to see, the birth of some fabulous Himalayan kittens. It is extremely touching to be able to be a part of this procedure. Life truly is a miracle !!