We should have a pretty good idea in about 4 weeks. Normally I can palpate (gently feel her abdomen) for puppies around this time and know that she IS pregnant. If I can't find anything, I will do an ultrasound to be sure.
Palpation is not an exact science and I can't get an accurate count at that time, just an estimate. One can usually feel very springy, ROUND, balls in the uterus - much like a string of walnut-sized beads. Around this time, too, the abdomen will begin to look fuller and the tuck-up less defined.
Subsequent weeks usually show a gradual increase in size until, if the litter is quite large, the mother looks more like a beached whale than a pointer. Here are photos of Duncan's and Rowan's moms, both hugely pregnant with puppies (both are a few days from delivery)
During the last week, we normally do an x-ray to determine the number of pups to expect. This is a fairly accurate count of how many pups are "cooking." This helps us to know when to worry if delivery is going slowly. If the dam has delivered 4 pups and is not doing much and we KNOW there are 4-5 more pups, we might think about some veterinary intervention. If she's delivered 4 and we know there is only one or two more, we might give her some more time, knowing that the last pups have furthest to travel and often take a bit longer. It's always nice to know what you are expecting before delivery.
Keep an eye out for more updates! Meanwhile, Ms. Rowan is still quarantined from the boys (just in case - altho Duncan says she is about done with her breedings) for another week or so, and busy getting into trouble for counter-surfing!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment