What is the earliest an xray to get a puppy count can be done? What is the best day to do it? I was told 5 days before the due date. Do you agree? I would like to do it sooner than 5 days ahead if I can.

I have read that the earliest it can be done is 45 days. But I've never done it that early. My repro vet recommends anytime during the week before the due date, so that's what I usually do, about 7 days before.

I x-rayed last litter on day 58. Saw 6 and whelped 7.

It can be done earlier than 5 days. I've had a couple done about 10 days before the due date. My vet has told me the films can be taken about 12 weeks before the litter is due.
Remember the count is not always accurate!
Good Luck

My vet told me to bring Ciara in at day 55...although I am not taking her in until day 58.

I found the later the better for accuracy. Day 51-53 showed 4 pups on xray, 10 were whelped and I never let my vet live it down in a joking sort of way. He said he learned from that experience to xray later, sigh. After that I went as close to day 58 as possible and was right on the money if not very close. I never did ultrasounds, could tell if my bitches were pregnant by other signs 99 percent of the time. I have an xray done before and after whelping. (A story behind my very first litter, a retained, very large, stillborn pup my original vet did not feel upon palpatation post whelping. Thankfully she passed him, an over 2 lb boy 24 hrs after whelping was supposedly complete and what a shocker ) She was easy to palpate, no reason that should have happened and it could have been catastrophic if she didn't deliver the pup as I had no idea there was a 9th one. Reason for always doing a post whelping xray as well. )

Best of luck!

In follow up to my above post, do any of you do a post whelping xray or rely on palpation on your own or your vets?


Thanks!

Michelle,

I too do a post whelp x-ray to be safe.

Should have mentioned that in my original post. But ya beat me to it.

How long after you think she is done whelping do you take in her? I think that is a good idea. Thanks for that input.

12 weeks before litter is due?
Meaning 3 weeks before breeding?

Having the original x-ray and knowing we had at least 6 pups, after delivering the 7th she went in within the hour to x-ray to be sure there were no more pups.