Never having had an ultrasound scan done before on a bitch, I am wondering what is standard procedure? Is it normal for the owner to stay with the bitch? Can I ask for a picture of the ultrasound (I know, very sad, just wondering...lol)? Also, my bitch's tummy is slightly on the hairy side, but I'm loathe to let her be shaved as she will be entered for some local shows if she turns out not to be pregnant. Should I thin her belly fur out before taking her to the vet's? Also, most people seem to place the bitch on her side for this to be done, but my girl is extremely protective of her stomach at the moment, so what do people recommend?

I wouldn't have my bitch scanned unless I could stay with her, I like to be able to go through what we can see with the vet. I think you will only get a picture with the newer scanners, my own vets don't have the facility, but the vets I use for scanning have a very new scanner and it does pictures - sad, but exciting and lovely to be able to show people on the puppy list!

Personally I have only ever had a bitch scanned standing up.

I have a long coated breed and don't want them shaved for the same reason as you. It's never been a big problem, although I know it is sometimes easier if they do shave, on a couple of occassions we have shaved once the pregnancy is confirmed and we know she won't be going to any shows, this will then give a clearer result.

Hope your scan shows a positive result.

The shaving isn't excessive. All they need is a little window. My vet does a very small rectangle and you could easily show her without it being noticable. He did try it without shaving but the hair does get in the way of the scan. All he got was a blurr, when he shaved it was much clearer.

I was there at the time, she was done standing up and I asked for a print out picture which he was happy to give.

Mine scanned standing up, but a different scanner once had me hold her up.

The first time she was shaved before i could stop but subsiquent ones she kept her hair and good results were achieved.  My girl is a long coat the scanner just sort of gave her a centre parting which worked.

The more up to date scanner was able to print the pics off.

i stayed with my girl which was facinating to see the screen.

hope its good news.

I have a giant breed with hairy belly.
Ours get scanned standing up and I cut some of the hair off myself at home when they are relaxed and have no issues on me doing this and I'm in control of what comes off and where :)
I just cut the hair off in the middle area and leave the side belly feathering so can show with a belly like this.
The way I cut the hair off is same as I sometimes cut the hair off in the summer as it really does help them keep cooler.

I suppose it depends on how hairy your girl is and what kind of hair she has(thick undercoat etc).
Last time the lady who scanned my girl told me not to cut the hair off, there is no need...
Only for her to use loads of gel, getting fuzzy picture and us returning a week later with instructions of cutting some of the hair off before we come :).

Thanks to everyone for responses - it's given me a much better idea of what to expect. I've been told by one breeder friend not to let them shave but then another said that they'll get poor results without shaving. I think I'll have a go at getting some of her belly fur off the centre, as she does have quite a lot of it and at the moment her coat is very full so there's plenty of it and her undercoat is very thick so she's got a lot of stomach fur. Normally I would have stripped her out a bit by now, but she really doesn't want anyone touching her stomach, so I've avoided it. Will get her up on the table and see if I can thin it with scissors and then cut somewhere not very noticeable. As you said, Noora, if I do it properly then I can leave the side feathering and it won't show! Fingers crossed for Monday - will let everyone know how it goes!

Like you if my girl had not been in whelp we were going to go on showing. I booked the appt at my vet ( now ex!)  and they said I would have to leave her first thing in the morning and they would kennel her and fit her in as and when.... I said no way is she going to be left especially with dogs that are not well, I want to be there, they grudingly booked me a 45 minute appt(!) and then said they would have to shave her abdomen. I cancelled the appt and went to a lady who did it in her home, dog not shaved, stood on a grooming table and I was given 4 pictures of the scan showing the babies :) Dog not stressed at all and the lady explained everything that she was doing and was more than happy to point things out to me.

Good Luck, personally I would go to a sheep scanner or private person. Some vets don't scan that often. I was told by my new vet that they only say yes or not in whelp and will not comment on numbers as people are complaining when they get it wrong!!

I would love to go to a sheep scanner or similar, but there don't seem to be any advertised in our area (v. large offshore island...lol. Don't want to be too specific, in case seen as advertising!). I think my girl's stomach fur is probably a bit profuse for anything to get through so will thin it, but would still prefer to have someone come to the house as I'm not happy that she's got to go into the vet's. Having said that, she's got an apptmt and will keep her in the car until they call her.

I use a lady that leaves my small ish breed on the floor, no shaving just ultrasound gel put on with a paintbrush! no pictures but that doesn't matter as long as i know a yes or no. she was very accurate last time on numbers. i think some vets just want to make evrything a 'procedure'.

I had an ultrasound on my girl! first time as well, basically I took her into the consultaion room, she had a basic health check ect, she was standing for the ultrasound, but I keep her stomach hair short anyway because of twigs getting matted in it on a walk. The vet was happy for me to stay with her but she startd to get upset with everything, so I litterally waited outside the door but although she wasnt able to see me, I was able to see her and the staff, the whole thing took 5 minutes and as soon as I left the room my girl calmed down alot which made the scan possible. I wasnt able to have a picture because the ultrasound machine they use did not print! Honestly though I wouldnt leave my girl at a vets for an ultrasound its not worth the stress of being put in a kennel all day, I would rather not have one done if that was the case, and also I wouldnt let them take her into the back alone for an ultra sound!

We just bring bitches into the house and scan them on a table or on the floor depending on the breed, if they need shaved we just do a small patch that is barley noticeable when they are standing. We can usually give a rough estimate on how many to expect our vet does not like to give a number only a yes she is or no she's not incase you sue them. And yes the owner is always there with their dog.

Well, having read all about other people's experiences, I was shocked at today's experience of a scan. We took our bitch to the vet and sat in the surgical reception area, while the receptionist tried to find out if we'd been booked in as we weren't in the book(!). Then the vet came through and took her. We asked if we could come in while she was being scanned and he said 'No, it's not allowed'. I was gobsmacked, but asked for a picture to be printed, which he said he would do. As we sat in reception, my husband asked if they knew not to shave her stomach (we'd trimmed the fur on her tummy very short, leaving the feathering to cover it from the side. I said I had left a message with the receptionist when I booked her in. Anyway, a receptionist came through and my husband asked her to let the vet know taht we had asked for her belly not to be shaved. She went off and then came back out, then all of a sudden the vet reappeared and invited us in to look at the ultrascan! He said she was definitely pregnant (whoopee!), with at least 4, if not 5 or more, and gave us a print out of one of the puppies.  However, we did notice that he picked up a couple of bits of her fur off the table and the floor while we were talking to him, so we think that he hadn't read note saying not to shave and was trying to placate us by letting us see the ultrasound! Well, we got our way, so we weren't unhappy, but if she hadn't been pregnant then I would have been fuming!

Congratulations. Some vets just seem to do as they please but at least you have got your wish, I don't presume you will take her to shows now anyway ( I know this is a topic that divides opinion!)

No, you're right! She hasn't been to a show since we mated her 'just in case'. She's very precious to us and we're not prepared to risk anything going wrong with this litter, just for another show!

Well done on the pups.

Can't understand why the vet wouldn't let you in, unless they didn't want to show up any inadiquacies they had.  Its great to see it appear on the screen and moving about.

Is there a sheep sacanner in the area that you could find for near the end of the pregnancy.  My breeder usually does this to see if all lined up ok to alert to any potential issues.  I know its can chage at the drop of a hat but at least it rules anything already there.  If you find one would be good for next time if you have a good experience and do it again.

i'm lucky i have the choice of two, one local and one with a bit of a journey.

Thanks. I'd love to use a sheep scanner but haven't found one where we are. I'm going to ask around, maybe ring up a local sheep farm or two to find out what the situation is.
If we go to the mainland, it would cost us twice what we pay the vet! But if I do get a scan done at the vet's towards the end of the pregnancy, I'll definitely be asking for a more experienced vet...
And I got stressed even taking her to the vet's at D33, so having to take her on a ferry etc. at D58 or so would be horrendous! She's such a good girl and copes with anything that's thrown at her, but I stress myself out and I know that she'll pick up on it, which can't be good!