Saturday, May 11, 2019

X-ray Day! Take a peek at the upcoming Hearts Afire babies!

X-rays are an invaluable resource when whelping a litter, a couple reasons "why" I do radiographs on pregnant dogs.

X-rays are generally done after Day 50+ of gestation, otherwise the skeleton hasn't ossified (calcified) enough to count the babies. 

You can usually count puppies readily on radiographs, again +/- one puppy. (Count skulls, not spines! Most people count BOTH). Even then, someone can be hiding behind another puppy or along mom's spine. This helps me plan for the whelp and know what to expect. 

The other advantage is that the skulls can be compared in size to the width of the dam's pelvis (not usually an issue with Vizslas).

Drum roll...🥁 Cordie had her X-ray today with Dr. Beckie Williams. How many babies do you see? Don't forget to count the skulls and the spines!