Question on pregnancy x-ray - Page 1

I have a female that is due on the 8th.  That due date is calculated from the first tie and there were 4 ties total, every other day.

I had her x-rayed on the 3rd and it showed no pups.  She does have milk and she is starting to nest.  I suspect false pregnancy. 

My question is:  Would it be possible for the x-ray to not show pups if her due date is as late as June 16th which would be the last tie due date?  Also, my vet just did one side shot and did not take a picture with her on her back.

Many years ago, when my brother was in dobies, one of his females was xrayed and he was told there weren't any pups. He went on thinking it was a false pregnancy, only to come home from work one evening to find 6 pups all snuggled up to their momma.

Recently, I spoke to a GSD breeder in Montana who had a female due a week and a half after the xrays were taken. Xrays showed no pups, but the vet was positive that there had been pups previously. They suspected absorbtion. Not uncommon at all.

At 45 days into gestation xrays should pick up spines and heads, if there are pups. It is possible that there is one or two pups and the xray didn't pick them up. Could also be absorbtion, or a false pregnancy. There is no easy answer when the technology we rely on for early detection doesn't show what we hope for. 

yes, if she has a small litter they could be "hiding" up high and in the ribcage.  Had that happen to one of my females, I was sure she was pregnant - x-ray showed "empty", one week later she had 3 large healthy puppies.  Keep an eye on her temperature (it will drop just before labor starts) - if it is a small litter though you may want to check again - sometimes scheduled c-sections are a good choice for small litters as the pups can be large and difficult to naturally whelp.

molly

The former owner went through the same thing with her (didn't think she was pregnant) and yes, the pups were high up in her ribcage.  She had 7!    She's a stocky girl and she has a very wide ribcage.  Between her head and Xandor's head size I was sort of expecting to have a c-section anyway because she has had one before.  With the x-ray showing no pups I'll just have to keep an extra close eye on her.

Do you monitor the dam for her temperatures? That can help to estimate when she is getting ready to whelp. One concern I would have would be the possibility of one pup which can cause problems getting whelping started. (and completed!) It's not unusual to require a c-section for one pup. Although, from her history, she may well be hiding a whole bunch of pups!

We've used this test successfully. Since it requires a blood sample, our vet has done this when we've  had questions about pregnancy. http://www.healthypets.com/canpregteski.html

Thanks for the help:)  <insert muttering here> I always seem to get the weird and difficult females!   It's a special talent of mine.

Here is a link to an excellent resource that should help you.

www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=3201

Jeff

we expected 2 and got 9!!! where she put them i dont know

Just a question..Is that Xandor lying on his back for your pic??  Love that dog!!  Wish he could come back to NC for a while

Cole

Is there somebody you could take her to and have an ultra sound done?   The doctor that did the ones for our female not only told us how many but helped pinpoint the due dates.