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To Test Or Not To Test?


eschlachter
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Hi guys,

So my girl is at day 28 of her pregnancy (hopefully). I have a vets appointment booked for Friday, for a palpitation (and ultrasound if necessary) to confirm her pregnancy.

Anyway, the owner of the stud dog I used, who I trust implicitly, recommended that I don't preg test Lei and just let nature take its course- on the basis that it's possible for her to stress out at the vets, maybe even pick up a bug there, and we'll soon know if she's pregnant anyway.

From what I can gather most people do palpitate/scan at 4 weeks, just to be sure. I am one of those people who really like to know what's happening too! Don't know if I can cope with not knowing...

What are your thoughts?

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We normally don't confirm pregnancy, unless we suspect something is wrong. The one exception was last litter, when I had Feonix ultrasounded at 4 1/2 weeks and I just couldn't decide if she was or wasn't, and couldn't contain my curiosity.

I could have saved my money and time, dreadful quick and dirty ultrasound for $160 which suggested 3 puppies (we had 7), and within a few days of the ultrasound she changed shape anyway and was obviously in whelp.

Nova is day 29 today (we're only a day ahead of you :) ), and I'm not planning to do anything to confirm pregnancy. Mind you, I'm already pretty convinced that she's in whelp.

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I have had one ultrasound done in 30+ years of breeding.

IMHO, there is no need to do it - and it is better to save the $$ and put towards a caesar just in case it is necessary. You wont find out anything you wont know in a few weeks - and you can't change anything anyhow. And it does expose the bitch to stress, diseases etc.

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Thank you for your comments guys :)

I think....(I had a big think about it) I'm going to go and have her palpitated, with a general health check and a chat to the vets so that they're aware of when she's due ect. No ultrasound though, there seems to be little point putting her through that process. I'd like to learn how to palpitate and hopefully the vet can show me, so next time they'll be no need to go in. I had a feel last night after reading up online, and I think maybe (big maybe!) that I can feel the sacs.

I should add, Lei is very laid back and has never really worried about going to the vet- last time we were there she fell asleep on the examination room floor while I chatted to the vet! So she should be ok. I'm going to call a stop to anything that stresses her out at all.

It would be very handy for me to definitely know she's in whelp, as I need to apply for time off work for the birth of the puppies and afterwards. That requires a bit of planning with the work I do..... plus, I'm a complete control freak and can't leave it up in the air!! :o

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We confirm every litter by ultrasound even if we are sure the bitch is preggo.

That way we now if we need to not commit ourselves to anything for the first few weeks & can shuffle our time around a litter & its needs .

We have never had a C section but we always plan the first week over the what could go wrong & now our time is all about the pups.

If she isn't pregnant we have wasted a week of doing nothing & shifting clients around

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I don't do ultra sound either.

Just ask yourself what you will do if the result is negative? answer - wait until she comes into season and try again!!

If positive - get ready for some puppies in about 5 weeks! Good Luck

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I never ultrasound either or palpitate early on. Unless you have a breed that is likely to need a ceasarian I can't see the point. By about 6 weeks & sometimes sooner you can usually feel the shape & movement of puppies with just the gentlest touch & see them kicking about by then. There are obvious signs like your dog gets hungrier, fatter. Its a bit trickier if there is only one but ultrasounds can be wrong too.

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Hi,

We have bred a few litters over a number of years and have taken only one bitch in for US and that was at five weeks and we were advised that she was not pregnant. We could think of no reason for her not to be pregnant so booked in for another US a week later. On the second visit the Vet was looking for a good 20 minutes while I continued to encourage the vet to scan higher (our breed carry the whelps very high, into the rib cage), on moving the device higher pregnancy was confirmed. Two possibly three was the verdict, she delivered six. The second litter produced seven pups. I don't bother with US any more.

The first litter we bred was a litter of cats, which was unintentional, she (the cat), started calling when we were in the middle of moving from WA to Vic. The Vet we took her to for confirming the possible pregnancy palpAted her abdomen and said between 4 - 6, he was right on the money. She delivered five kittens and our daughter was so excited she was having palpItations!

Cheers,

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Every breeder I know does an ultrasound at 4-5 weeks to confirm pregnancy so the bitch can be fed accordingly and and rested more and to find out if there is one or many as just one will mean a caesar 99% of the time. The puppies secrete hormones that start labour and if there aren't enough puppies, labour doesn't start. This is a more likely scenario with frozen semen litters and in a breed that never goes over the due date of 63 days from ovulation, without something major being wrong. We also ultrasound on the due day if labour hasn't started yet, to get numbers and work out if the first puppy is in the right position. This info can be vital if labour doesn't progress properly. Science now allows our dogs to have safer pregnancies just like it does for humans. Why not make use of it? Cost of course can be a factor so it depends on what the vet charges. My vets were only ever about $50 for an ultrasound so well worth the money.

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I can't ultrasound as I don't have that available here, but when I do a mating I always apply for time off work when the pups will be due. If she isn't in whelp I just cancel my leave. I almost always know by about week 4 if my girls are in whelp. Their behaviour, appearance and mood changes tell me.

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Every breeder I know does an ultrasound at 4-5 weeks to confirm pregnancy so the bitch can be fed accordingly and and rested more and to find out if there is one or many as just one will mean a caesar 99% of the time. The puppies secrete hormones that start labour and if there aren't enough puppies, labour doesn't start. This is a more likely scenario with frozen semen litters and in a breed that never goes over the due date of 63 days from ovulation, without something major being wrong. We also ultrasound on the due day if labour hasn't started yet, to get numbers and work out if the first puppy is in the right position. This info can be vital if labour doesn't progress properly. Science now allows our dogs to have safer pregnancies just like it does for humans. Why not make use of it? Cost of course can be a factor so it depends on what the vet charges. My vets were only ever about $50 for an ultrasound so well worth the money.

+1.

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Hi guys,

Well, we went in for the palpitation and the vet was happy to say he felt at least three pups in there :thumbsup: So we didn't ultrasound.

I guess then the singleton situation is unlikely for her, but thank you for that info as I'll bear it in mind. You're right we do have the technology now to make things safer- and I'd much rather be safe than sorry.

From what I understand Ridgies are pretty clockwork all round usually, so not expecting too many problems. Lei has been 100% textbook with ovulation timing and has had some major behavioral changes too- but happy to have it confirmed :D to a point anyway!

The vet wasn't too keen to teach me how to palpitate really but I did watch and could repeat (I think) what he felt at home. Whelping box is set up and ready and she's already happily sleeping in there :) So exciting!

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