Had ultrasound at day 25 showing "at least" 7 pups. This girl's mom had 14 as largest litter and 9 as smallest. This is daughter's first pregnancy, she is 5 1/2 weeks now and already for a first pregnancy looks larger than a 7 pup litter to me. It was a surgical insemination, so we're sure as to timing. How accurate are ultrasound counts at day 25 from your experiences?
I do not use ultrasound to confirm numbers- just pregnant or not-with an idea of how many to expect. I do xray prior to whelping and use that to get my count. Only once have I gotten an exact count via ultrasound and that was my horse vet ultrasounding a bitch for me since my dog vet was out of town. Good luck and let us know how many she has.
Julia
I don't normally do them anymore, but for my last litter I needed to be sure or my girl needed to go back to her home ,she had a surgical as well and it was her first litter also. We did one on day 30 and it showed at least 7,she looked really big by 5 weeks and the xray a few days before she delivered showed 9, I counted 10 and thought I saw an 11th and she had 11. I haven't found the u/s to be all that accurate, there is so much movement and they can hide around eachother and the organs, but you can know for sure versus a plasma relaxin assay.
we had a litter US and the vet said 8 and we had 3 waited around all day thinking any minute she would have the other 5. Had to take her for a post whelp x-ray to make sure there weren't any others. I think it is best to wait and do the x-ray later.
My last 2 litters were frozen implants. At 30 days US showed 4 in 1 bitch, she had 8. Second litter 30 days US showed 2 or 3, we had 10!! So all I do an US at 30 days is to make sure the bitch is pregnant.
My last 2 litters were frozen implants. At 30 days US showed 4 in 1 bitch, she had 8. Second litter 30 days US showed 2 or 3, we had 10!! So all I do an US at 30 days is to make sure the bitch is pregnant.
OP, All the ultrasound should be for is to cofirm pregnancy. It is not for counting unless you get lucky and happen to see all of the embryos without poking around too much. Remember, those are recently implanted embryos.
Do a pre-whelp xray a few days before her due date for a head or spine count.
I had a vet who became obsessed with counting puppies and she did it incredibly well. When her practice became very, very busy, she had neither the time nor the interest in trying to count. The last couple of times it wasn't worth it and I don't bother any more.
I have ultra sounded two litters, one at 23 days and one at 28 days. Different vets/clinics. First one US 7 pups, xray confirmed and there were 7 pups. Second litter US 6 pups, Xray confirmed and there were 6 pups.
We did one on day 30, showed 9 and she had 11. So I still think some vets can count puppies using US. Just the last 2 I have gone too, can't. And for the most part I just use it to verify pregnancy.
