Hello all! New to the forum but often read lots of it when looking for advise, campdogs and the book of the bitch have proves to be worth their weight in gold as i venture further into breeding.

Had my bitch scanned yesterday at just under 5 weeks and got some mixed results. There were a few sacs and blobs but could only see 1/2 heartbeats and the vet said the other look underdeveloped for 5 weeks. They were then of the opinion that the whole litter was going to get reabsobed as 1 or 2 puppies would not be enough to keep the hormone levels. So really i have 2 question, has anyone had similar happen and still got a pup out of it? and where should i go from here? Would it be worth getting her rescanned again in a week or should i just assume thats the end of it? The bitch herself is fine, bright and happy no signs that anything is wrong.

Many thanks in advance for any help x

You can only wait and see.  I would rescan past the normal absorption window (after 6 weeks).

If you're desperate to know now, I would look for a scanner who does it for a living eg Domini Allday in Milton Keynes, she is excellent.

Hi Dark Star

Sorry to hear your scan has left you pondering.

I've been scanning my own girls for several years and I can't always see heartbeats at 30 - 35 days gestation (from mating), all depends on the orientation of the gestational sac in relation to the probe.  At 33 - 35 days gestation (from the LH surge) limb buds develop, even though I can't always see a heartbeat I can see the limbs twitching so obviously the puppy is alive.

It could be the case that your litter is younger than the mating dates, this often leads to an unclear picture depending on many factors (weight of bitch, position of bitch (standing/lying down), whether there is gas in the intestines, how much poo is in the intestines etc.)

I've not seen a puppy being reabsorbed when I've scanned, however I've got a book which shows scanned images of pups being reabsorbed and from memory the image shows the black gestational sac shrunken and without a clear black circle and without a definite line around the edge (separating that sac from an adjacent one).  It's sort of skrinking in on itself with very little fluid surrounding the puppy within and with a less obvious "circle" shape to the sac.

I don't know about the comment "the whole litter was going to get reabsobed as 1 or 2 puppies would not be enough to keep the hormone levels" as how would that explain small litters that have one or two puppies in when born (whether that's due to reabsorbtion or just a small litter)?

As your girl is five weeks, then you could repeat the scan at 7 weeks and check all is well.  Only problem with later scans is although they are clearer it can be hard to count pups i.e. to check you still have the same number of pups that you thought you saw in an earlier scan but at least you will see live/developing puppies if there are any to see.  Alternatively as mentioned you could ask Domini to scan for you as she is very good.

Hope things work out for you.

Thanks for all the replies and it does give me a little more hope then when i left the vets last night! I think the best course of action then would be to have another scan and take it from there as she was only 33 days from the first mating.

Chris - While not en expert on doggy US i have seen a fair few human early scans so looking at hers you could really see the sacs and dark outlines while the contents were more fuzzy. It was hard to see any movement as she was panting (it was a bit hot in there) and on her side, one puppy that was focused on was very clearly still alive though with a strong heart beat. The other heart beat that was seen wasnt as strong though.

Hi Dark Star

I normally see the sacs with dark outlines and fuzzy "puppies" inside, often looks like a cotton wool like "blob" inside the sac at 33 days (from 1st mating). 

Not sure what to say about the one with the weaker heartbeat though. I personally wouldn't read too much into it (when looking at canine u/s rather than human) as I've seen all sorts of things scanning over the years (always make notes). Sometimes I think, "um that looks different to what I expect to see" or words to that effect and yet when the pups arrive the same number I've counted in the early scan are born and they are all fit and well and grow up normally.

I do remember years ago (before I had my own scanner) when I used to scan them at my vets.  One girl was scanned and neither of us could see any pups at first check, eventually we found five pups low down (vulva end of her tummy i.e. scanning over her vulva basically).  My vet was convinced they were being reabsorbed and I couldn't argue with him simply through inexperience.   I do remember feeling disappointed.

She whelped 5 pups all fit and well but she was nine days overdue (by dates) from a single mating.  All was well and clearly, she wasn't overdue, just conceived well after the only mating.

Nothing to add but thanks Chris for very enlightening replies.

I wonder if you could tell me the title of the book you are talking about with the pictures. I also do my own scanning but could do with such guidance. thanks

Little update on this one for everyone who helped. Had my girl rescanned last week and saw at least 4 very healthy puppies moving about!

Thanks for all your help folks x

fingers crossed all goes well, but don't be surprised if the numbers are nowhere near correct.