Hi am new to champdogs I have a bitch which I had lined 9 weeks ago this friday, she appears to be showing positive signs of pregnancy - filled out around the ribs, her nipples have grown considerably and turned very pink her little girly bit is not so little anymore, shes wingey and even nest making.  I have had her to the vets just to get her checked  the vet palpated her abdomen but said she could not feel any puppies but that she was carrying quite a bit of fluid, she said that she may be carrying any puppies quite high up under her ribs is this possible ??? Or she may not even be pregnant, she has never had a phantom before and this would be her first litter.

bitches can hide pups under the rib area, it's quite common in deep chested breeds like mine (bullmastiffs) so entirely possible.

At due date (ie tomorrow if I've understood right) if you haven't felt or seen movement from unborn puppies then they aren't there, and your bitch is having a phantom. Even when one of my bitches had a tiny litter (4) she was as big as a house and her belly visibly heaved and lurched for the last week.

As she has been mated it is always possible, however i have to agree that i have always felt movement in the last 2 weeks, one of my girls had only two puppies and i could still feel and even see them moving so it is quite unlikely i would think. The only sign i would take notice of is her 'girly bits' as you put it as i have always took that not returning to normal size as the first indication of pregnancy, the other signs are all common in phantoms.
so, who knows she may go on to surprise you!

feeling movement depends on breed of dog i have not always felt movement in my bitches

does she have clear stringy discharge? this is a sure sign and sometimes drips on the floor

I would act as though she were due to whelp anytime now, stay with her, get her whelping area ready and wait, I know that phantoms can happen anytime, but I am one of those optimists who believe if they have not been present before, a bitch is mated and showing signs then she is very likely to actually be in whelp rather than having a phantom.

I hope that I am right and you will soon have some little ones, vets often do get things wrong, even with scans, there have often been surprises.  I would act as though you have pups due, if there is to be disappointment at the end then so be it, but it is better to be prepared than not.

Let us know what happens. :-)

Hi

Thanks everyone just keeping my fingers crossed now!!!! shes going back to the vets on wednesday for another look at just to make sure she is ok if shes not had any babies.  In response to one or two of the comments she is a big chested bitch so fingers crossed and I have got a whelping area ready for her.  Would it just be a coincidence that she has had this phantom or is it because she somehow knows she has been lined so therefore she thinks she is pregnant.  I also hear that bitches can absorbe their babies how true is this and why would they do it?  THanks guys its a great forum and source of knowledge.

Hi

I cannot tell if she has any clear stringy discharge because she is quite a clean dog always preening herself, however as you say it would be a good indication.

I also hear that bitches can absorbe their babies how true is this and why would they do it?

Yes, quite true this does happen, quite what causes it no-one really knows, reasons can be anything from stress to the pups having problems, no-one really knows for sure, it is just one of those devastating things when it happens.  :-(

Hi

Still no signs of babies yet however this morning there has been a definite clear stingy discharge coming from her girly bits - please dont tell me that this can happen in a phantom!!!!  Other than that she is still exactly the same.

My bitch had the stringy discharge almost exactly 24 hours before she whelped....sounds like you will soon have the patter of little paws!
Good luck.

ohh exciting stuff, good luck if/when it comes!

well, sounds as though she may well being hiding them very well!

is her vulva swollen quite a bit now as my girl is due on monday too (soooo excited) and although there is no question as to if she is pregnant or not her bits are noticably larger as they are preparing for the actual birth, so if she was only a day or so or even hrs away i would expect her vulva to be large and soft!

you had better get yourself ready for some sleepless nights :)

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Hi MandyC

Good luck for monday.  My girls vulva has never really gone down throughout the whole of her pregnancy/phantom and the discharge has been on going all day so far it is slightly milky in colour and does not smell offensive.

Sounds like puppies are coming!!  Good luck, let us know within the next 48 hours. :-)

Dont want to be a bummer, but my girl showed all signs of being pregnant, and she had 8 squeek toys.  But hopefully this isnt a phantom, and you have pups on the way!

Hi

Still no sign, back to the vets on Thursday, your right what a bummer!!! But shes still discharging and is getting giddier than ever now nearly back to her old self, charging around the house like a lunatic!!!!  What are your thoughts on lining her next season or do you think it will be too close to christmas the pups 'if she has any' would be ready the middle to end of November.

Oh and MandyC how did you go on have you got any puppies yet??? 

Hi Poppyspot,

my girl is in labour right now! it is getting stronger and i am sitting with her, dont think she will be much longer now, i am so excited but so worried, i always am with the birth. she is very calm about it all. i will keep you up to date.
Thank for asking :)

what a shame your girls seems to of had a phantom, hopefully she will take next time :)

Hi  MandyC

How did you go on????

Hi poppyspot,

we had 9 beautiful babies yesterday, all went very well ahe delivered all 9 in 2 hrs, i am very happy and very tired havent been to bed since sunday night! :)

how is your girl, is she going back for another check tommorrow? hope she is well

Hi

Congratulations on your new arrivals !!!!! Mine is back to the vets tomorrow just to check that she is ok she is though back to her usual giddy self tear a@@ing around the place like a lunatic and play fighting with my other dogs, keen to get back to working the moors, jumping over walls and sneaking off into our pond for a crafty swim and to see if there is any unsuspecting pond life around and just generally back to being very mischevious.

Thank you :)

glad to hear your girl is back to herself, good luck if you try again with her i hope you get the babies you want next time.