Ask Me Help Desk - Pregnant Great Dane? Or false pregnancy?

Pregnant Great Dane? Or false pregnancy?

I have a 2 yr old Great Dane who would be 37 days pregnant today. Two weeks after she was bred she got a vaginal infection and was put on antibiotics. At her vet visit they did an ultrasound and the vet admitted that she's not "great" at looking for pups but thinks she saw 2-6 pups. At her recheck at 30 days they preformed another ultrasound however said they couldn't see any pups at that time but Raven was "extremely tense" when anyone touched her tummy. Over the last few days we have noticed her nipples getting much larger, rounder belly, sleepier, eats more, wants to cuddle ALL the time!! Could she be pregnant but just hid the puppies tensing up?

Yes, of course. They could have been tucked behind her bladder. We can't actually tell you if she is, but the usual signs you mention are there. Wanting to cuddle all the time, with a woman, is a good sign.

I would save the money you are spending and ultrasounds and wait until she is 45 days along and have her x-rayed, it's the only way you will know how many puppies to expect. By that time the skeletons are mineralized and you can see each puppy. Ultrasound is not the greatest tool to use when looking for puppies.
I think with the changes you are noting that she just may be, but certainly can't say for sure.
Was this a one time breeding or the standard 3 time breeding method, your chances are better with the every other day breeding 3 times.

She was at the breeders house for 6 days an during that time she allowed them to tie 4 times. She went there on her 10th day of bleeding.

I wish we could tell you one way or the other. Lady Sam knows her stuff, so I'd take her advice.

Of course, if she is, it goes without saying that we're going to want pictures. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

I wish we could tell you one way or the other. Lady Sam knows her stuff, so I'd take her advice.

Of course, if she is, it goes without saying that we're going to want pictures. :)

I'm not sure how to add pictures on here yet :( I'll try to figure it out though. I wanted to put up picture of what she's looking like now to show everyone what I'm talking about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven Rayne

I'm not sure how to add pictures on here yet :( I'll try to figure it out though. I wanted to put up picture of what she's looking like now to show everyone what I'm talking about.

If you're posting from a laptop or computer, not an iPhone or other mobile device, here are the instructions on how to post a picture. :)

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/h...re-678901.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

If you're posting from a laptop or computer, not an iphone or other mobile device, here are the instructions on how to post a picture. :)

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/h...re-678901.html

Okay I'll email them to myself to put them on my computer then. All I have them on is my iPhone and my iPad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven Rayne

Okay I'll email them to myself to put them on my computer then. All I have them on is my iPhone and my iPad.

I think there's a way to add pictures from your iPhone or iPad, but if there is, I don't know how. :(

I really should ask so that a link can be made to show people how to add pictures from a mobile device. In fact, you've inspired me to do just that. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

I think there's a way to add pictures from your iphone or ipad, but if there is, I don't know how. :(

I really should ask so that a link can be made to show people how to add pictures from a mobile device. In fact, you've inspired me to do just that. :)

Let me know and I'll add a few that I took earlier. And one that I took last week. She's def gotten bigger in just a weeks time. We are just hoping that her having the vaginal infection hasn't affected the puppies or caused her to have a spontaneous abortion. This is our first time breeding and so far it's been a nightmare. My husbands mother breeds Maltese and has never had an issue with any of her es.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven Rayne

Let me know and I'll add a few that I took earlier. And one that I took last week. She's def gotten bigger in just a weeks time. We are just hoping that her having the vaginal infection hasn't affected the puppies or caused her to have a spontaneous abortion. This is our first time breeding and so far it's been a nightmare. My husbands mother breeds Maltese and has never had an issue with any of her es.

I wish I could help with breeding, I'm a rescuer, not big on breeding. But, I'm not against legitimate breeders, and from what you posted, you're doing everything right.

My advice would be to get everything ready, plan for her to have a litter. Also follow Lady Sams advice on the x-ray.

Get the whelping box ready, the heat lamp too.

We do have a member whose mom bred Great Danes for many years. I'll PM her and ask her to weigh in. She's not as active on the site as she used to be, she doesn't have as much time, but I'm hoping she'll come and give you some valuable advice.

One thing I do know, Great Danes are a unique breed of dog, with very specific needs.

Please keep checking to see if there are new posts. I'll try to get the breeding experts to chime in. Breeding is not my expertise at all. :(

I messaged her. Sadly she's in Aussie land, so she's on a very different time than we are. Give it a bit, and hopefully she'll post.

Please don't give up. Help is on the way. Or at least a better opinion than I can offer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

I messaged her. Sadly she's in Aussie land, so she's on a very different time than we are. Give it a bit, and hopefully she'll post.

Please don't give up. Help is on the way. Or at least a better opinion than I can offer.

We have built her a whelping box, and have the extra "warming box" for during delivery to put the pups in while others are born. I have a ton of newspapers and towels, have the thermometer, scissors, iodine, gloves, clamps, note book, pen, and different colored ribbons all gathered up so far. So I think I'm at the halfway mark for supplies. Lol my mother in law just sits and lets her dogs do everything without her involvement but of course her breed has only 2-3 pups a litter.

image | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
You can go to this link to see belly pics of my Great Dane.

image | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
This is today's picture.

From the pictures she definitely looks pregnant, but a false pregnancy can produce those same results. :(

I'd really go with what Lady Sam suggested and get an x-ray at 45 days.

It sounds like you have everything ready and set for when these puppies come. :)

I did PM my friend, but she hasn't responded yet. Hopefully she'll be along soon. She really knows breeding, and Great Danes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

From the pictures she definitely looks pregnant, but a false pregnancy can produce those same results. :(

I'd really go with what Lady Sam suggested and get an xray at 45 days.

It sounds like you have everything ready and set for when these puppies come. :)

I did PM my friend, but she hasn't responded yet. Hopefully she'll be along soon. She really knows breeding, and Great Danes.

I'm going to guess that she had a false pregnancy with her last heat before we bred her. About 4 weeks after her heat she did produce milk but never gained weight or got fat. We wouldn't have even noticed it but she dripped something warm on my hand while I was rubbing her and that's when I was like Wha?! Ewww!! But that only lasted a couple of days. This time it's a complete 180. She has all the right symptoms but confusing US results. A new thing that we also have noticed over the last couple of days she becoming very protective of myself, my husband and our two children. She's also stealing food from the other dogs and begging for more food. I'm totally lost :( Feed her more for the sake of possible pups or don't feed her more to prevent her from getting fat? Oh my.

I've been rolling this around a little and I have to ask the question.
Were both dogs tested for Brucellosis and CHV before the breeding.
While there are other things that can cause reabsorption of the fetus, these are high on the list, one other being as simple as the mating pair doesn't "match up" genetically, there are many other factors.
So I'm wondering (I hope not) if reabsorption may be a factor here.
One or all puppies can be reabsorbed, in this case you would not see aborted puppies.
Given that your vet said that she wasn't great at ultrasound, could she have been seeing the reabsorbed pups. Did she actually detect heartbeats?
It may be worth speaking with your vet about, because she has access to the patient she would be the best judge.
Also was she ultrasounded standing or lying on her back? It can make a difference in what you can actually see on the moniter.
I surely don't know that this is what is going on, just thought I'd throw it out there.
I think I know who Alty is referring too, I hope she chimes in she should have much valuable insight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadySam

I've been rolling this around a little and I have to ask the question.
Were both dogs tested for Brucellosis and CHV before the breeding.
While there are other things that can cause reabsorption of the fetus, these are high on the list, one other being as simple as the mating pair doesn't "match up" genetically, there are many other factors.
So I'm wondering (I hope not) if reabsorption may be a factor here.
One or all puppies can be reabsorbed, in this case you would not see aborted puppies.
Given that your vet said that she wasn't great at ultrasound, could she have been seeing the reabsorbed pups. Did she actually detect heartbeats?
It may be worth speaking with your vet about, because she has access to the patient she would be the best judge.
Also was she ultrasounded standing or lying on her back? It can make a difference in what you can actually see on the moniter.
I surely don't know that this is what is going on, just thought I'd throw it out there.
I think I know who Alty is referring too, I hope she chimes in she should have much valuable insight.

Yes.. I had Raven health checked just before she came into heat and they did blood work, X-rays, ultrasound, and swabs. Quite a bit more expensive than I was expecting but worth it. She's our baby girl and we didn't originally buy her to breed her, in fact we signed a contract that we wouldn't. However the breeder we bought her from bought a new male (completely unrelated) and contacted us about breeding our Dane. I'm not sure how the ultrasounds were done because the vet left my husband and I in the exam room when they took her back. I do know that she said Raven was extremely tense whenever they got near her tummy.
(History on Raven... When she was just 5 months old we paid a Trainer $2000 to keep Raven for two weeks and obedience train her. When I went to pick her up and was watching him her tail never left her stomach and her ears stayed folded back and all she wanted was her momma. Once home we quickly realized that she had to of had a horrible experience there. She was horrified of everyone and would hide when people came to visit, started going potty in the house, getting into the trash, stealing food from the counters, even right off the stove. I've worked very hard to bring her out of this since and we are 90% of the way there.)
With that being said. I hope you can picture what I mean by extremely tense. She is fine when your petting her back or head but go for the tummy and she'll flex like a body builder. Lol She doesn't do that for my husband or I but I have no idea what I'm feeling for. I have noticed that her belly is huge but solid. 6 more days and she will be 45 days so if she's still growing in size and acting all cuddly I'm going to have an X-ray done. I'll add a picture of the male onto my flickr so you can see him as well.

Stud at 9 months old | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Stud at 9 months old

Raven 1 1/2 yrs | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Raven a few months ago

Sorry I'm late to the party. I really can't add much to this thread, some fantastic advice here.

False pregnancy's unfortunately can show the same signs as a real pregnancy, right up to a b*tch going into labor in rare cases.
As LadySam suggested an x-ray is the best way to go to be 100% sure.
It sounds like you are doing everything possible to ensure a healthy litter for both mum and pups which is excellent, kudos!

As Alty said I'm not very active on here lately but I'll definitely be checking in on this thread, I have a real soft spot for Danes having grown up with them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven Rayne

Yes.. I had Raven health checked just before she came into heat and they did blood work, X-rays, ultrasound, and swabs.

Wow, you really did your homework, way to go mom.
Keep us posted we love updates and pictures.

Love the coloring on the male, what a unique coat. He's a very handsome fellow.

Raven is gorgeous. What a pretty girl.

If they do have a litter I can't wait to see the coloring on the pups. :)

We can't either! If she's bit pregnant this time we are going to wait a year and try again. (Maybe.. I'm not very good at waiting for proof of pregnancy)

Also I just called my vet and it'll be $140 for X-rays... That includes the office visit. Going through all of this with Raven made me realize that I should have been a vet instead of a stay at home mom. ;)