Wow, that is a good job... I tried stitching up a cow a bit once and didn't have the correct needles, which made life VERY difficult.. Ended up sharpening and drilling a hole through a bicycle spoke, which was a chore in itself, but was miserable to get poked through that leather.. I did get it done though.
Vets around here won't give out any type of sedative that does any good.. I think we have a really mild one that you probably work them up as much by giving it to them as it calms them after. My mother was a nurse too and we got a few goodies too