Hi I had my bitch scanned last week at 23 days, it was done at the vets as she had been a bit under par which they think was to do
with insect/wasp bite or sting.  Anyway it done its job and confirmed she is indeed in whelp ( a long planned litter with all health checks done) She is now fine although is still being very picky with her food.
I am now wondering what people think about a 2nd scan?  I had originally planned to go to a sheep scanner who I'm told is very good and very accurate.  Would it be detrimental to my girl to go through a second scan so we can try and get an idea of numbers?

> I am now wondering what people think about a 2nd scan?

I would only have another scan if I thought there was a likelihood of just having a singleton. I don't think scanners are all that accurate as regards numbers although they have their uses to establish pregnancy. I do think sheep scanners are better on the whole but can still be wildly inaccurate. Our worst estimate (with a sheep scanner) was for a litter of two. She had 14

If you've seen many of the posts on this board you will probably discover that most of us have had scans to be told x amount of puppies when y amount of puppies come out.  I had a bitch scanned recently & was told that four could be seen but that did not mean there weren't more hiding. 

my mum's last litter, the bitch was scanned & we were told 3 & she had 7 pups.

Personally, I would leave it at the one scan & I wouldn't bother with another outing.  I doubt scanning is detrimental in itself, but the risk of picking up an infection or agitating the bitch might be a possibility.

Anyway, congratulations on your news :-D

Thanks....wow 14!!!!
I know a lot of times they are way off but it would be nice to have an idea. 
But then again as I'm learning most things to do with dog breeding are not textbook
so I suppose I prepare for anything from 1-14!  and hope it's somewhere in the middle :-)

Yes I only scan to confirm a pregnancy, I dont rely on it for numbers.
My current litter was a case of "you're not going to like this... I cant see anything" only for her to have 8 pups! Unfortunately mother nature decided to take 6 of them but thats the way these things go sometimes. Luckily were left with two beautiful chunky pups, so every cloud... :-)

Must be very hard losing 6 pugnut but as you say you have two healthy pups which is more than
you probably thought you'd get after the scan!!! 

That is exactly why numbers are a bit irrelevant other than confirming multiple pregnancy, I had a bitch that carried 8 and I lost 4, 2 stillborn, one crushed by exhausted Mum and one failed to thrive, (had never had stillborn pups before) and of course scanning can be used to check a bitch has finished whelping if in doubt.

I have had scans in the past that have been spot on or within one or two of live deliveries. I don't scan until about 6 weeks when I am pretty sure of pregnancy anyway but just like a rough idea whether mum is having a small or large litter.
I have posted previously about my latest scan where the vet wouldn't commit to anything other than "she is in whelp". I then took her to a sheep scanner who came highly recommended and was told she had minimum 6, maximum 8. Mum went on to whelp 13 puppies.
Half way through her whelping she got a bit stuck and went to the vet for Oxytocin. He scanned her and said one more still to come but she went on to have another six !! Sadly four out of the thirteen were stillborn.
I am not sure I would bother scanning in the future. By 6 weeks I pretty much know my girls are in whelp and can start worming regime and increasing food.

> By 6 weeks I pretty much know my girls are in whelp and can start worming regime and increasing food.

That is really all I want to know, other than that earlier I like to know as then I can let down people on my waiting list early enough to get on someone else's list.

hi
a had my bitch at the vet last week and he wasn't sure weather she was in whelp or not she was 25 days,
he asked me to take her back when she was 45 days so he could scan her to find out if she was in whelp so i will have to wait and see where she is or isn't its quite frustrating.
i asked the vet for a scan and he said i would have to wait until 45 days how is this when other dogs get there's a lot earlier in whelp.
i took my other bitch yesterday she was 21 days as that's when he wanted to check her then he told me to come back when she was 25 what chance do i have.i don't even know anyone with a sheep scanner that stays near me.
any replies welcome
ps hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post
cheers shaz

where abouts are you , i am sure there is someone on the board that may be able to locate a scanner near you. i know we have a very good one in our area !

i am in southlanarkshire hope this helps regards shaz

have pm you

thanks very much .
Tasha will be 25 days on Monday @Tia 35 days.
so here hoping there in whelp as keeping a sable if Tia has any
thanks again really appreciated it .
this is Tasha last chance of a litter but not bother if she is in whelp or not.
this is Tia first mating also as never took last yrs will have wait see
yours shaz

took Tia to be scan with a sheep scanner the day and they were no pups to be seen.
this is the second time i have mated her so am just going to get her spade as its not meant to be.
when i took her to my vet he wasn't sure wither she was or wasn't and asked me to take her back at 45 days,do u think the pups could still be under her rib cage or am i still hoping they are pups.
i was just wondering as long as shes OK that's fine by me/

Reproduction specialist vets with their advanced equipment should be able to give a accurate number of puppies implanted at 28 days.  Many breeders wouldn't bother about numbers at that stage and only want their bitch confirmed in whelp  The actual number of puppies born could be less than showed on the scan due to absorbtion, etc.

Not much help if you live in the sticks (LOL).  Luckily, I have a specialist vet located only 20 minutes away from where I live.

To answer your question, I wouldn't bother with a second scan and would just have your girl x-rayed at 8 weeks.

A relaxin blood test will give a definative "pregnant" or "not pregnant result" from approx 28 days plus. Obviously you don't know how many pups but it would tell you if she was in whelp, especially ifs its a smalllitter and you feel the scanners may have missed something.

Karen 

thanks
i am just going to wait and see,i only wanted to know if she was in whelp.
i wasnt bother how much pups shes had as i only wanted a sable bitch from her
thanxs for your reply yours shaz