The Woods Maneuver
(for when a puppy is partially delivered, but stuck.)
Prior to the start of Stage 2 labor, load a 12 cc syringe or larger with KY jelly and attach a feeding tube. Keep it handy so it can be used if there’s a problem.
Place mom into a back lying position. If this is a toy dog, you can probably do this by yourself, but even with the smallest dog, a second person is very useful.Balancing her between two pillows will help to keep her positioned.
Push both hind legs as far apart as you can safely push them. This is to enlarge the diameter of the pelvic opening. One person can manipulate each leg, pulling it first apart, then rotating the hip so that foot comes back more toward the head and the pelvis consequently raises up slightly. This is an important part of the maneuver....the pushing of thefoot/leg toward the head which will raise the pelvis up slightly.
So far, you have changed maternal positioning in three important ways:
The mom is on her back; not her position of choice. It is a drastic change for her.
Mom's pelvic diameter has been increased somewhat by pushing the legs apart.
The pelvis has changed in position by being tipped upward ever so slightly.
Now, you want to DECREASE the size of theportion of the puppy which has gotten stuck. The bulk of the puppies (as well as humans) will get stuck against what most of us call thepubic bone. Just remember that your own pubic bone is in the front of the very lowest part of yourabdomen. The skin there is covered withpubic hair. Now, just visualize the corresponding part of the bitch's anatomy to find her pubic bone.To decrease the size of the portion of the puppy which has gottenjammed against the pubic bone, you want to apply pressure to the abdominal area located directly behind the pubic bone while at thesame time keeping mom's hind legs apart and rotated up toward the head.
Next time that you have a really really full bladder, lie on your back and palpate the area immediatelyproximal (toward the belly button)to the pubic bone. You can feel a soft swelling there that is your full bladder. This place is the place on your bitch that you want to apply pressure to decrease the size of the part of the puppy that has gotten stuck. You are, in effect, trying to "fold" the puppy up a little bit so that he can pass through the now enlarged pelvic diameter which has also been tipped upward just a bit which also serves to shake him loose from the "log jam" against the pubic bone.
Waiting for mom's contraction tooccur, you will position mom, and apply pressure while at thesame time, pulling gently on the presenting part of the puppy. You want the puppy to pass under the pubic bone and upward through the opening.
If the pup is still stuck, insert with your fingers the feeding tube with KY jelly you’ve prepared and pushed to the end of the tube, just past the stuck pup if possible. You may have to push the puppy in just a bit so you can turn it, if it is jammed too tightly.
Once the pup is turned, this may be enough to allow the contractions to force it out, but if not, get the tube past the pubic bone and push the contents behind and around the stuck pup. This will grease the pup and give it enough lubrication to get past the pubic bone.
If this fails, take the syringe off and refill it quickly with more KY and push again to add more lubrication.
If that fails, go immediately to your vet for assistance.