I know this topic has been touched on recently so please bear with me.In people's experience..... 1.Does the bitch have to be sedated and if so what form does that take.2.How compliant does she need to be.3.Can I hold her negating the need for sedation.4.How safe is the whole procedure.Just had a slight disagreement with the Veterinary Nurse and want to get my facts right before I approach one of the vets at the practice who were unavailable today.Thanks.

I know that it wouldn't be legal for your vet to allow you to hold your bitch while x-rays were taken.

When I had my bitch x-rayed whilst whelping to check if she was empty they just used sand bags

Yes but this is prior to whelping and I would much prefer not to sedate if its possible.

Jeangenie where you work are the bitches ever held by the nurses or another vet?

No. If sandbags won't hold them still they'd have to be drugged.

I was lucky when I had one of my bitches done.  I was allowed to put her in position, and I walked off - she stayed still long enough for the x-ray.  Since then I have always asked if we can try with no sedation.

I've always been allowed to hold my bitches with a scan though.

>Oh yes, ultrasound scans are different and carry no risk to the operator, so owners can hold their animals for those.

Thanks for responses I realise 'holding' at scans is no issue.I really do not want to sedate a heavily pregnant bitch and hoped that I could support the vet during the x-ray.Nurse did confirm that due to insurance owners cannot take part, although it may have happened in the past.

On my litter before last I had an x-ray done after she had some of the puppies and it revealed more. She is a very steady dog and was not sedated. Sedation was never even discussed and so I thought that was the norm like a scan.

Hi Hazenaide what position was she put in to have the x-ray and I assume nobody held her.

It was a couple of years ago but she was stood up. My girls are very used to standing still on the table because they are a hand stripped breed.
Do you know I can't recall whether she was held but as I say I also at the time ( until reading this post) never thought about issues being mentioned here.

I didnt get my girl scanned while pregnant she would of been slightly sadated i wasnt happy to but after she was finished we thought 1more was there as she was still straining we had her xrayed no serdation but i could hear them shouting at her to stay still i understand she needed too but it made me cry after all im only human iwas nackard i couldnt go and hold her still :( x

white lilly if I am reading this right your vet insists on sedation for a SCAN, and shouted at your newly whelped bitch when x-raying her? CHANGE VETS!!

Yes your reading it right i even went thru the room to the back and shouted to the vet what the hell you doing how dare you!! Dont worry im not leaving it there im just to tired to start writing to the main ppl of this large chain of vets :( shes still not settled with pups properly im feeling stressed now too but dont want her picking up on how i feel xx

I'd change vets too.

Yes im going too x

My girl was x rayed last year due to a possibly retained pup mid whelp. I was allowed to go into the room and put her into a stay position, I then left the room for a few moments whilst they took the image and then returned to take her into the standard examination room. She was xrayed whilst standing...

The vet explained that they were happy to try for an image without sedation but if my girl moved I would have to pay any additional costs. I was quietly confident she would "freeze" for me as she had an amazing stay, but I must admit I was very relieved that she did exactly what was required of her.

Thanks darwinawrds just the info. I was looking for.