What I Do

I think it is time I gave a very clear picture of what we do to the sheep. We actually did two experiments, so I will outline them for you now.
Experiment 1:
1. We put in a jugular catheter (a plastic tube in the jugular vein) and cap it to draw blood and administer anesthesia.
2. We cut them open and take out the Corpus Luteum and 26 caruncles (site of implantation and the maternal contribution to the placenta), and chop them all up.
3. We use a highly concentrated pentabarbitol solution to euthanasia them. It is bright pink and thick (if you will remember when it got in my mouth).
4. Incinerate the carcass.

Experiment 2:
1. Jugular catheter the day be for a set-up.
Set Up:
1. Cut open the leg to the saphenous vein. We catheterize it (it's a bitch) to draw blood from the Vena Cava where the uterine-ovarian vein drains.
2. Sew it up.
3. Cut open the abdomen and catheterize the uterine horn.
4. Push the guts out of the way and poke the catheter through the body wall.
5. Sew everything up.
6. During the week give treatment every 4 hours. Every 12 hours, blood needs to be drawn and spun, the room needs to be cleaned, and fresh water needs to be given to the animals.
Take down:
1. Cut open abdomen and check that all catheters are intact.
2. Take a blood sample from the uterine veins. They are tiny, rolly little buggers.
3. Cut out corpus luteum if it is still there.
4. Take caruncle samples. We need 24 total.
5. Put her down and incinerate the carcass.

Fun stuff.