Hi everyone. Just looking for some advice please . Our small breed girl was mated on the 13th and 15th december with good ties each time. We had her scanned yesterday and she should have been 30days or therabouts. However the lady who scanned her said she is definitely pregnant but that the puppies definitely arent 30days along. When i asked how far she would put them at she said she really couldnt say as they were too small. I know its possible that she ovulated late and that the sperm caught these eggs but im also worried that something may be wrong. Has anyone had something similar happen. We will be going back next thursday for a rescan. Thanks

I had a bitch palpated following a single mating and vet felt they we're not as far as 28 days.

She whelped on day 67 and the litter was just 4 where around 6 is average.

This, once more, is why I never bothered with scanning.   They only confirm, or not, a pregnancy at the time of the scan, not that the bitch will carry to term, and however experienced the scanner might be, are never as accurate as x-ray.   And as is the case here obviously, can cause worry where there may be no need.     Again with 'life is getting too complicated'.   Was a time when we'd get a couple of good matings, wait and count from the first mating for the due date, and if nothing happened, THEN get the bitch in for an examination and x-ray, when she was 2 days over the due date.   Or if no puppies were seen, from 7 weeks, moving around, again x-ray a few days past the due date.

Up to you but even if something is 'wrong' what then?   You'll still be looking at waiting until she's at least to her due date.   I'd not stress my pregnant bitches with all this checking.   What will be, will be.

ps   Don't get me wrong - I'm all for using medical progress, when needed.   I just don't see the need for all this 'must know' re a pregnancy.   I mated and planned for a litter and then waited.

>They only confirm, or not, a pregnancy at the time of the scan, not that the bitch will carry to term, and however experienced the scanner might be, are never as accurate as x-ray.

Which is what most people want to know, so that they can enter shows (or not) - or book a holiday, or anything that they wouldn't be able to do with a litter on the ground.

>Or if no puppies were seen, from 7 weeks, moving around, again x-ray a few days past the due date.

Why not scan then instead of x-ray? Safer, and you can see whelps moving (or not) which you can't with an x-ray.

many folk have to arrange leave from work to cover for the puppy period.

Yes i do agree to a point but i'm a nurse so need to put my annual leave in to ensure that i can be with her for the birth and the first few weeks. My partner and I will have to arrange our rotas so that we are working opposite shifts. I've never had a bitch scanned before I usually do just wait it out as with my previous 2 litters i was studying for my nursing degree so was at home a lot of the time. I will see what the scan shows next week and then just let nature take its course from there. Thanks

yes  we really needed to know this time. She wasnt put through any unnecessary stress and was scanned in our own home and she was quite happy to let the lady do it. thanks

Personally I have a lot of faith in the lady I use for scanning. She's been spot on for numbers and the due date every time. I wonder if this is the same person? I'd wait until the next scan and hopefully you'll have more idea of what's happening.

Yes she came very highly recommended and seemed to know her stuff. She thinks she may just have ovulated later. I will update this thread once i have had the scan next week. Thanks

I scan for pregnancy at around 30 days because I like to be able to give the people who have reserved the assurance that she IS pregnant.  This gives them cause for joy.  Of COURSE things may not turn out as hoped for or expected - c'est la vie - but I don't see anything wrong with giving people confirmation that puppies are definitely on the way.

I have indeed experienced a couple of times, that the scan showed that fetuses were not developed in accordance with the assumed day of pregnancy.  And indeed, according to my calculation (from the date of first mating), the puppies were born on day 67, which is very unusual for cotons.  But I was glad I knew that this was to be expected, and everything was just fine.

Such information can be reassuring and stop one panicking if pups seem late,  but are not.

I too don't like to keep potential owners hanging,  if there are no pups,  a negative result means they can be passed to other breeders and have a better chance of getting on their list and hopefully a puppy.

The balance of available pups and good owners can be fine.

UPDATE. she was scanned today and has 5 healthy pups