Pupping] 253 [Pupping 



the vagina, or made fast with tape like its fellow, 

 and then by gentle traction on both limbs the 

 puppy is delivered. 



It occasionally happens, in cases of head pre- 

 sentation, that the hind legs are bent forward on 

 the body, which renders the delivery difficult, 

 and unless the passage is large, and the pains 

 are very strong, the bitch cannot bring forth the 

 pup without assistance. This is best rendered by 

 grasping the puppy across the hips with a small 

 pair of thin-bladed parturition forceps, and gently 

 pulling the puppy during each throe. 



It frequently occurs that though a puppy may 

 lie in a normal position, the mother is unable to 

 give birth to it in consequence of its being too 

 large. The nose may be just inside the vagina, 

 and there become fixed in spite of the bitch's 

 straining for hours. I have seen hundreds of 

 such cases. It is a mistake to leave the bitch in 

 this condition too long, thinking matters will come 

 all right, as it is wasting time and the mother's 

 strength ; and if there are other puppies to come, 

 she probably will not have strength either to 

 expel them herself or help anyone who may try 

 to assist her. In this instance, the head is so 

 firmly fixed in the mouth of the womb that it is 

 impossible to take hold of it with forceps, how- 

 ever small or thin the blades may be, but the 

 hook of the crotchet may generally be passed 

 into the mouth of the puppy, and by fixing it well 

 into the palate a good hold is obtained, and the 

 puppy drawn through the passage by main force. 

 If care be taken, it is astonishing what amount of 



