Ultrasonography is used to detect foetal heart rate and can be used for pregnancy determination as well as assessing foetal viability. Pregnancy determination is best performed from 25-35 days gestation, while ultrasound performed at term can be used in cases of dystocia to determine the degree of foetus stress. At full term a low foetal heart rate is generally indicative of foetal stress and allows our vet to make an educated decision when it comes to determining whether a caesarian may be the best option of survival for your litter.

Fetal skeleton can be detected by radiography from approximately 42-45 days gestation with best results achieved after day 55 when it comes to discerning litter size. Radiography at this stage in the puppy’s development will not harm the foetus or cause congenital defects.