Veterinary ultrasound is a useful tool in both confirming pregnancy in bitches and also in monitoring pregnancy throughout the gestation period of between 58-68 days. An example of this can be seen in a paper published by Freitas LA et al in Animal reproduction science 2016 Sep;172:83-93 ‘Can maternal-foetal hemodynamic influence prenatal development in dogs?’, with the full article accessible by clicking here.

This paper was looking at how two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound imaging could aid in confirming the stage of gestation and in the assessment of pregnancies considered ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. Assessment was carried out every week, and echogenicity was determined of the embryo itself and any additional structures that were present (two-dimensional ultrasonography), with Doppler ultrasound used to measure blood flow in arteries within the uterine environment.

All findings were subject to statistical analysis, and results were able to quantify the proportion of anomalies in both the embryo (15.90%) and the foetus (5.68%), as the type of irregularities will differ depending on the stage of pregnancy. Other findings showed that in instances where embryonic resorption occurred, which is where the embryo dies, the researchers also identified a number of characteristics that could be associated with this process including greater fluid echogenicity. For a more comprehensive list of the findings please see the full abstract and/or article.

This publication is instrumental in revealing how important veterinary ultrasound is in monitoring pregnancy and flagging up any potential problems that may arise in the embryo/foetus itself, whilst also being able to expose any deviations from the norm that occur.

As veterinary ultrasound is quick and easy to carry out, non-invasive to the animal in question and produces instant results, canine pregnancy has a lot to be gained from the application of this method. There are a number of ultrasound scanners that Vet Image Solutions stock suitable for use in dogs that suit all budgets from the MSU Dog Scan to the Sandscape A5V. We also run canine ultrasound training courses, see our website for more information or contact us – our next course runs at the end of this month.