Hiya!

I'm sat here with my 5 year old hound breed, Taffi.

She was bread on the 14th of October. We had all the blood tests done to ensure ovulation, but when it came time for the ultrasound, the vet couldn't find her womb, much less any puppies, and so assured me she was not pregnant.

So scroll forward to today... Taffi has been whining for the last 5 hours, shaking, licking her vulva, rearranging blankets on the floor, and generally behaving as though she's in labour.

I don't know what to do. Could this be a false pregnancy? I've googled a fair bit and have seen a couple of accounts of false labours.. if it isn't false and there was a puppy that was missed.. i'm not sure what to do. This was to be both her and my first time breeding, and I thought it wasn't happening.

Whether it is false or real... is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable other than just cuddles?

From a non breeder's perspective it sounds a lot like labour as described on here by those who do. However you posted late last night and I would have thought something has happened by now. Whether it has or not you need to see your vet urgently. I hope you have a happy outcome.

Go by the number of DAYS since the first mating.   I never let my girls go over by more than 2 days without involving my vet.   Mine often went into secondary inertia.   Bassets aren't as stoic as some might think and at the first feeling of pain, it's ouch mum .... you 'put them in there' now you get them out!!   Hopefully you'll have a free whelping bitch - unfortunately mine were not because of the 'ouch mum'.   More often than not I opted for a Section to get it over and done with.

And it's highly possible that a Basset will keep their pups up under their ribcage - I never bothered with scanning, again preferring to go by the number of days involved.   

Labour isn't scraping up - you may, if you are observant, see some minor rippling which is the start, but this scraping nests can go on for some time.  

If you used a known stud dog, with somebody experienced in the breed, SPEAK TO THEM.   She is older than I'd put in whelp for a first litter btw.  Most of mine were retired by 5, and spayed!! 

A false pregnancy, the symptoms, don't start prior to the whelping date, but a few weeks later.   Bottom line, if she's more than 2 days over her due date, involve your vet.   Don't just sit and wait.

I heard alarm bells at a first pregnancy at this advanced age.  Vet in case she goes into secondary inertia.  You don't want to lose her by not acting in time.

I hope you have a resolution one way or the other by now, but I was thinking about this situation overnight and should have said by around 7 WEEKS you should have seen puppies moving if she had any.   Did you?

What was the outcome?