A dog breeder has shared the ‘magical’ moment a Dachshund puppy was born with his amniotic sac still completely intact.
Karis Small, 29, had been supervising her Miniature Dachshund Maggie through her labour on Ferbruary 8, when puppy Cosmo was born en-caul.
The mum-of-one rushed to quickly take some photos before breaking the sac herself so that the dog could start breathing.
The amniotic sac is filled with fluid that cushions puppies in the womb and helps the lungs, digestive system and musculoskeletal system develop.
If there are multiple puppies in the womb, they each have their own amniotic sac, which then usually bursts as they pass through the birthing canal.
Karis, of Newton Abbot, Devon, said the birth could have been risky for Cosmo if she had not been there to assist.
She said: ‘It’s always such a magical experience watching as the puppies are born but it was extra special seeing Cosmo born still inside the sac.
Meteorite lands in unsuspecting man's garden after 'fireball' explosion in the sky‘It was amazing. I wanted to quickly get the photos because I knew this was something most people will never get to see and I wanted to show people what actually goes on being a breeder.
‘People think dogs have their puppies and then you just leave them to it but we have to be so much more involved.’
Karis, who runs Devondax breeders, confirmed that Maggie, Cosmo and his two siblings are now all doing well.
She continued: ‘It could have been risky if we hadn’t been there but all three puppies are doing amazingly and so is their mum.
‘The photos have brought up loads of emotions for people who’ve seen them.
‘Everyone has been saying how wonderful and fascinating they are. It’s nice to show people something they’ve never seen before.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.