# Question...*IF* she is pregnant with only 1-2 pups, would she still show???



## Scarecrow's Mom (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi guys!!!

I know its been awhile, my apologies. Life intervened. 

Here's the deal, Dutchess was bred from July 31-August 2nd. If pregnant she would be due around Oct. 4th. We did a relaxin blood test through the vets office on 9/1. That test came back negative but the vets all agreed that since we were right on top of the 30 day mark, it would be possible that she could still be pregnant and test negative. Also possible that a smaller litter would have been skewing the results as well. 

Since the test cost a whopping $150 with visit, we weren't exactly jumping up and down to come back in 7 days and get tested again, as reccomended by the vets.

So we have decided to ride it out a bit longer and see if anything pops up or out. 

She has gotten all the care and check ups otherwise and has had her food increased. 

Is it possible that she could be carrying only 1-3 pups and not show???

Some of our breeder friends say "Oh yes" and others hem and haw and look doubtful.

The other thing that is bugging me is that Dutch seems to have suddenly become the poster child for the pregnant dog checklist!!!

She will not do anything without the one orange ball in her mouth or at her side. She is off food, eating like she was starving, off food, etc. She can't stand to be away from Charlie or me and whines or cries if she is done in the yard and wants back in... like now! And if Charlie is working on the couch she is up against him snuggling and dying for chest scratching.

She always was a voracious self groomer, but now she is grooming all 4 dogs!!!

I just need some advice from experienced folks who may have been down this road before. 

Thanks again..

Added info:

Dutchess age 2 yrs 2 months

Sire: Buddy age 9, had semen tested and is in perfect condition and very motile and viable. 

During breeding there were 2 AI runs and 1 pseudo-successful live cover. They didn't tie but we're all confident the "package" was delivered. 

Any and all help would be awesome.

~Emily


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## SolidGold (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi! I don't really have any experience with breeding but I did want to tell you that I did know of a dog that was only pregnant with three puppies, so I think it is possible? I also wanted to bump this up so maybe someone else can help you! I do know that there are a lot of people who breed on this forum. Good luck!


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

If she is a good sized girl and there are only one or two pups, it is possible she would not show.

My girl is due around October 3, and she is already bagged up with milk, and her nipples are huge 

I will start taking her temperature twice a day on Monday, so I can be prepared when she goes into labor.

The problem with singleton litters, and even litters of just two, is that the bitch sometimes does not go into labor. It's as if the small litter, and perhaps less hormones or something, does not signal her body to go into labor.

I did an ultrasound at around 30 days and we could definitely see lots of puppies  I don't usually do xrays but because I am worried about her due to her size and the number of puppies the vet saw on the ultrasound, I am going to do an xray on Monday. The problem with the relaxin test is that it only detects pregnancy (most of the time) and does not give any idea of how many puppies there may be.

I consider a $150 vet bill to be low when I am in the process of preparing for a breeding and through whelping  And actually, I prefer not to think about the bills from the vet at all-it is too depressing!

You may want to do an xray, just to see if there are puppies.


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## Scarecrow's Mom (Aug 7, 2006)

Thanks Linda!!

Oh definitely $150 is low and we are prepared for the other bills. It was the idea of an extra $150 that was not appealing. 

I was thinking about the xray the last couple days also. 

I'll update if I know any news this week. 

Thanks again.

~Emily


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## Scarecrow's Mom (Aug 7, 2006)

**UPDATE**

Xrays today confirmed what we were starting to fear. She has a false pregnancy.:doh:

She has gotten as far as milk production and LOTS of nesting. But not a huge weight gain and pretty normal appetite and behavior. Well as normal as anyone is around here right now! :bowl:

Vet says she is fine and we should be able to try to breed her again on the next heat cycle. If she doesn't take again and goes false again then we'll head towards spaying her pretty quickly. I don't want to upset her anymore than I have to. 

Sooo we're bummed but life goes on.

~Emily


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Thats just a small part of what can go wrong breeding dogs and you $150 test is NOTHING at all when it comes to the expenses of breeding dogs. Worse could have happened then a faulse preg. This may be a good time to re-think your desicion to breed your bitch. My last breeding a spent an easy $2500 not including the stud fee. It sounds harsh but I do urge you to think before breeding again. Did your male and female have clearences??


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## Scarecrow's Mom (Aug 7, 2006)

Yes. 

I hesitate to go more into the reasons behind the worry over the $150 for the xray, I know people in my shoes on internet bulletin boards can quickly be roasted and blackened cajun style when they start rambling on with excuses. 

I don't want to do that and I am fully aware of the costs involved and of what my responsibilities are. Sufficive to say that when we planned all this in May, and bred her in July/Aug our finances were where they were suppossed to be. 

Now it's not a shock to say that things went moderately awry in the time since then. The economy has hit many folks.

We have many months to go before she cycles again, and we have already planned to hold off and not breed unless the cash is back where it is suppossed to be by the time she comes back into season. 

Read any of my threads, I am not one of those that enters into these things lightly. Any and all of the litter will have permanent homes with us if anything went wrong, all will be well maintained and the priority has always been to stay true to the breed and responsibly share our love of goldens with others. 

If we breed again great, if not, I will spay her without much regret. 

Dutchess is a lovely girl and I love her too much to pester her with this idea over and over. Now Buddy is another story!! He would LOVE it if I pestered him with this idea over and over!! :yes:

~Emily


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi Emily
I second everything Ash has said. 
Also understand that everytime a bitch goes thru a heat cycle they virtually experience a "false" pregnancy - that is why there is no clear blood test to determine whether or not pregnant. I think we as breeders notice the "false" symtoms more when we breed because we look through hopeful eyes and want to see ALL the signs. Then as the time approaches we increase the food for the bitch just in case and they put on weight from the additional food and we again see this as a positive sign with our hopeful signs. So whether or not you breed her again as long as she is not spayed she will be "upset" with each cycle she has.


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