Its approaching scan time for me - Just wondered what success rate people have with scanning?

Ever been told no pups for a bitch to whelp a healthy litter?

Ever been told a maybe ?

Ever been told a yes - but had no pups?

Do we pup too much store in scans?

It is always so sad to read people asking if the scan is always right, usually after they have had the news that their bitch is not in whelp.

Ive had both scenarios....a bitch declared empty at 30 days going onto have six puppies....to a bitch scanned as having six puppies, all the same size, conception date, she almost told me their markings!! Got it spot on, six 7 oz boys.

It comes down to the skill of the ultrasonographer and what happens subsequently in the womb over the next 30 odd days.

Last scan I had done showed 4 little beating hearts only 3 delivered.

Have had both sides of coin. Been told a bitch is empty and they were (3) after AI and told double fingers and they were ... Too many !!!!

Just had mine done and can clearly see 5 at 4 weeks BUT things can still go wrong and could end up with less or even nothing. Also known a friend be told her bitch was empty and she produced 9 !!!

I use a scan as a guide, was fairly sure she was in whelp from physical changes but if she had scanned empty would have done a relaxin blood test to ensure it wasn't scanner error. Obviously in a couple more weeks you can see abdominal enlargement and feel movements, you can also X-ray once bones calcify to establish accurate numbers if you must.

Good luck with your girl

K x

Had a scan today that showed 3 or 4 blobs ( as they appeared to me) - but the scanner wasn't sure if thy were pups or air - or kidneys ...
So will have to re scan !

P.s klb - CONGRATS!!! Xxx

definitely re scan in a couple of days and fingers crossed those blobs look more conclusive then x

Wish I had more experience looking at scans - I keep looking at the scan pic and trying to guess ! Ha ha !

My Flinti was used a stud on a lovely girl a couple of years ago. We got two nice long ties and fully expected a litter of puppies to result. The girl was scanned twice at around 4 -5 weeks post mating . No puppies were seen. So disappointment all around . However, a very experienced breeder was visiting the the bitch owner about 8 weeks post mating and she said that she would not be surprised if a puppy or two were 'hiding' in there. Well, 63 days post mating I was on a ferry returning from France when my mobile went off- delighted bitch owner telling me that a beautiful boy puppy had just been born to the girl. So, scans can fail to detect pups.

I hve the scan pic in which you can sort of see 3 or 4 black bloods with white lines in - but not sure if this could be kidneys - no idea what I'm looking for and scanner seemed to think it could be air

At four weeks the foetal sac looks like an black oval, generally you can focus in and find the heart. When I have had scans first located bladder which is also a big black blob then scan up and away to locate horns where if pregnant dark oval shapes can be located. Viable fetus have heart beats, fetus in process of reabsorbing will have no heartbeat and outline of black oval looks fizzy.

If your scanner is not sure why not do a relaxin blood test. If positive, she is pregnant . If not at this stage it is probably safe to say she isn't,  as false negatives are generally associated with small litters in early stages.

At this stage your bitch may not have many obvious signs pregnacy, but nipples should be notably larger/ fatter with area at base getting puffy. Mammary glans can feel more tense due to increased blood supply. By 35 days a slight clear muciod discharge is evident .. These are positive physical signs of pregnancy rather than phantom IME

Got everything crossed for you
K

She has all other signs - Is there a way to upload the pic of the scan I. Ere and see other people's opinions?

Techno idiot here so no idea about uploading pic of scan :(

You can't post it directly here, but if you put it on photobucket or flickr or something I think you can post the link.

You can only post the link to a photo on your profile, not in the thread itself sorry. Perhaps you have a breeder friend or mentor you could ask to look at your scan?

Yes, have shown it to my mentors - who all think it looks promising - but you know what it's like - the more opinions the better!

There should be no one more experienced and able to interpret your scan than the scanner themself.

I think you're asking for the impossible - if you've had input from the scanner and experienced mentors, there's not a lot anyone else can add and you will still get varying opinions no matter how many other people you ask ;-) You only have to wait a little longer and you will know for sure :-)

Just went to a local vet - he palpated and thought he felt something - but scan was negative :-(
Oh well - win some you lose some hey?

So sorry,  been there and done that a few times and it's always a kick in the teeth after doing everything you can to get a litter :(

He odd thing is I'm ALWAYS a 'cup half empty ' kind if person - the only time I've ever gone with a hut feeling was many moons ago when I first met my dear hubby and I just knew something was different and he was the one! Well, oddly I had almost the same feeling after this mating, peculiar - and I can't shake it.
I've come to terms with the fact she isn't - but by golly do I have an odd feeling about the whole thing ?!

Well I hope your right .... You will know for sure soon x

how far is she since mating.  If I remember you opted for mating early.

If the vet is better at palpating and not very good at scanning and it is before around 35 days she may still prove to be in whelp, especially fi she didn't take for a few days after mating.

Yes, she was today 33 days from first mating and 32 from second.to cut a long story short we traveled quite far to the stud (ireland) & a week before my parents dog van was stolen - our group were due at a display we take place In With the dogs meaning we were the transport for both them & their dogs and ourselves and both caravans - this meant we had a small window for travel to & from and to get back with the van, in turn neaning we didnt get to stay as long as I would have liked - but this time round it was a case of chance it ( slim chance ) or not at all.
measured her just behind the ribs today and will keep an eye out. The home scanner in Tuesday do a revist for free in 2 weeks so will take them up on that

Klb - out of interest, when you were told your bitch was empty and she had 3 - did you wait until birth and was surprised ? Or did you re scan ?

Sorry my post was obviously not clear , have been told girl were  empty three times, all following AI, and they did they did not go on to produce pups.  If I had doubts would do a relaxin blood test, she will only produce this hormone if in whelp.
K

Sorry - I read it wrong!

I think we will wait and see - pretty sure she isn't - jut worried incase there is the odd one as she is plumping up a little and slight 'webby' discharge.

I've also heard that relaxin dosent always show up if there are only one or two.

We have a repeat scan in a week or so - will keep an eye on her till then.

Incidentally - heard from a friend last week who ( same breed as mine) had her butch scanned empty, week later also empty. She then entered her for a draught test and a few days before took her for an exray to be certain - X-ray showed nothing. Dog participated and passed the draught test, then a week later whelmed 5 pups much to everyone's surprise!

Tooolz - your bitch that was scanned empty and had 6 - did you still suspect she was pregnant ?

just to add my 2 ps worth lol fit dogs carry pups very high up in the chest for protectionfrom exercise / work being knocked by other dogs etc hence it can be very difficult to see  embryos ( pups ) on a ultrasound machine the the area  that the probe picks up is small hence need to move it around alot so there is a chance they can be missed  ! each  bitch is different its unreal some  you can be exact on how many there going to have  :/ being a scanner and also a breeder its frustrating i know from both sides :(

Thanks for that.

We have now had 3 scans. The first scanner found a few blobs that they thought were possible pups - but said to re scan in 2 weeks. We had never used them before so for peace of mind we went to our old vet surgery ( we left a few years ago as our preferred vet started doing home visits - but this also means he has to use equipment at other surgeries and also when he is on holiday - like now - we have to go back to our old surgery and see the next choice vet). He said a firm no - said he would have seen them if they were in there.

So we accepted this - we only had the 3rd scan as the original scanners re scan for free- so why not!  they scanned for ages - saw the odd 'mass' but said it wouldnt be a pup as by now they would see bone etc - tried to scan as high into the ribs as they could - not a thing - but we had not expected them to find anything after the vet saying no.

She is still acting precious so thinks she is bless her, she is a working breed worked weekly until she came into season so very fit and muscular - but if one is hiding it is hiding BLOODY well ! lol

well you never know there could be one or two or 5 hiding lol  ! hopefully the scanners were nice !
always weird going into strangers houses i know

They were indeed x