Hey you all
Ok I want to ask you about bitches who are pregnant with their first litter. On what week post breeding do you see some "belly" on them? Does it depend on how many puppies they are carrying?
Also I took my bitch to do an ultrasound on week 3 and 4 days post breeding and my vet saw 2 sacks or shrimps as she calles them at that age. We didn´t see any heartbeats but she said that it was normal at that early age. Now she is 4 weeks and 4 days and I don´t see too much belly yet, but I can see that her nipples has started to enlarge and pinken. Should I expect more than these 2 that we saw?
Thanks in advance

Most do Ultrasound no sooner than 28-32 days. I don't go before 32 days. You might see a little belly by 5 weeks. Thats when things start changing more. By 6 weeks I am usually sure of pups, just not how many. Ultrasound can miss pups.

Thanks for the answer!
My vet has an pretty good ultrasound equipment and can detect puppies very early. This is how ever the earliest I have gone to do an ultrasound! Last time I was at day 28 and that was a very good time. She invited me to come again in 2 weeks to see more, but I´m not sure if I will put the stress on her.

Unless something has changed you can not see anything 3-4 days after breeding, just not possible. At 26-30 days you can see a sac but there is not a heart beat. Calcification does not take place until about day 45-49. By 3 1/2-4 weeks into whelp you can sometimes see a buldge or pouches, teats will be enlarged, hair sticks down, vulva is still swollen as it was when she came into heat.

I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has heard of an ultrasound showing even sacs 3-4 days after breeding. Not even my repo vet who is one of the best in the country has said that before.

Good luck with the pregnancy.

I never meantioned that it could be seen even sacks 3-4 DAYS post breeding?
But with my other litters I have been doing ultrasound from day 28 or around week 4 and we have always seen puppies at that stage. Thanks anyway

She said 3 weeks and 4 days!

I read it wrong also. Thought she did say a few days. Did not want to scare her with the possibility of harm to the pups. Yes, most can see the sac and the pups. No most are not acturate down to the correct count. It just tell me pups are there. Not how many.

What I've noticed over my last few litters is that the hair on my bitches' flanks stand out starting about day 14-17. Only happens when they are pregnant, not if they are going through a false pregnancy and not if they missed on the breeding. May be something that I'm imagining but it is consistent with my girls - Labs or Goldens.

My apologies. I read it as 3-4 days post breeding.

Took my bitch in for an ultrasound at day 32 - she didn't look pg but I swear the day after the ultrasound she did. I notice a real change around week 5.

Must have bred the same time as us here- LOL....

we too have a maiden bitch- first litter. small litter. hoping our count was wrong and we are having more.

our girl started looking pregnant just a few days after her ultrasound was paid for LOL. usually the case. Her hair around her nipples are gone and the bulging has started. Her behaviour has turned to total mush - she is a big suck right now.

Best wishes for your upcoming!

Hey you girls, thanks for your posts! And Tina, how many did your vet see at the ultrasound?
Good luck to you all who are having litter´s in April

He saw 2. I've never had such a small litter. We'll go back on day 60 for xray to do another count. Our vet usually sees 6 and we've usually been close - within a few pups of that, never less. time will tell and we'll be prepared with whatever the count is.