Opinion about X-rays - YorkieTalk.com Forums

RavenKimber · 01-26-2015, 08:24 PM

Hi All, What is your opionion about X-rays? Have they been pretty accurate for you? Have you been told to expect 3 pups and got 6?
So far, I have been told not one Xray has ever been accurate or even close. I find this hard to believe and am hoping someone else can tell me their X-rays have been pretty accurate.
Thanks!

Yorkiemom1 · 01-26-2015, 08:47 PM

First, you have to have someone that knows how to take an xray...exposure time is critical. Then you have to have someone that knows how to read an xray and can determine what they are seeing. Timing is necessary....you cant do xrays before 48 days and expect to be really accurate...those little skeletons need to be calcified and that has taken place by day 48.

I always have ultrasounds done at around week 4-5....to determine live babies, as well as number of babies. I have my xrays done on day 58......I use that to determine positions, number of babies, and to measure puppy/ pelvic ring ratio, to determine that they are going to fit through the birth canal.

I am fortunate enough to have a vet that is great with taking and reading ultra sounds as well as x-rays....she seldom gets it wrong, and when she has, it has been by only one puppy shy.....I would be real uneasy if she looked at an xray that has been properly done, and missed it by 3 or more pups!!!

RavenKimber · 01-26-2015, 09:13 PM

Thank you for replying. I had Raven's Xray done on day 53. This was this first time at a new Vet. My older Vet is now more then an hour away from me, so I needed to find one closer to home. He only did a side Xray and told me 3 pups. He also told me she looks and has no doubt she wouldn't be able to pass them. I should have looked into this before going their. I had no idea they could do a Xray while her laying on her back or also measuring the pups heads....I can home an posted the Xray pic to another yorkie site n n few people have me terrified now. Saying by the looks of the Xray the pups look huge n no way she'll be able to pass them. Then I was informed about how you can n have a back Xray done n the measurements. Is it possible he did measure the heads n just not tell me? How could he know that she will have no problems passing them without doing measurements?
Today we are on day 57 and I'm a basket case all over again.
He's a Vet so should instill trust in what he told me?

Yorkiemom1 · 01-26-2015, 11:04 PM

My vet does 2-3 views....one from either side, and one with her on her back. If you have an older xray system, where he is looking at a film on a light box, you can take calipers (like from geometry class) and measure a baby's head, then move the calipers to the pelvic ring and see if the measurement of the head, will fit through the pelvic ring. If your vet has the new computerized xray system, they can actually move that mouse all over that puppy, get measurements, then move to the pelvic ring, get the measurement there, the computer program will calculate all the dimensions and you will immediately see if the puppy will fit through the ring. (I was tickled to death with my vet and her new xray system.....I was calculating measurements on everything in that xray!!!)

I would take the xray back to the vet and have him SHOW you, measuring the heads and the pelvic ring ratio....if the babies are "huge", he will have to do measurements to be safe....some can eyeball heads and the pelvic ring and see they will pass thru without problem....those babies can grow quite a bit that last week before they are whelped.....so if they are a tight squeeze NOW, at this early date, they probably are not going to fit in another 7-10 days....

Is there another vet around there? Even an ER vet? You may have to pay an ER vet to read the xray for you, but that is better than getting in a bind in the middle of the night and loosing the pups and the momma.

Go to the ER vet....tell them you are getting prepared to whelp a litter of puppies, and you will be going to that ER for the delivery if it occurs in the middle of the night. Ask them if they will look at the xray so you can start getting transportation arranged to get you there if she runs into problems and you need help. (Maybe a tiny little white lie....but you need someone to read that xray for you!)

RavenKimber · 01-27-2015, 08:33 AM

Thank You so much!!
I am looking up ER Vets now. Even if I can take this Xray in n have them give me a second opinion. Something, anything to make me feel a little more at ease.
I'm frustrated n disappointed with myself that I didn't know about all this xray stuff. I know a good amount about whelping & newborn pups, but not this :-(

RavenKimber · 01-27-2015, 08:35 AM

Can you please tell me how to post a picture?? Haha, I can't figure anything out on this forum....ugh

01-26-2015, 08:24 PM	#1
RavenKimber Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Center Valley, Pa USA Posts: 11	Opinion about X-rays Hi All, What is your opionion about X-rays? Have they been pretty accurate for you? Have you been told to expect 3 pups and got 6? So far, I have been told not one Xray has ever been accurate or even close. I find this hard to believe and am hoping someone else can tell me their X-rays have been pretty accurate. Thanks!

01-26-2015, 08:47 PM	#2
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	First, you have to have someone that knows how to take an xray...exposure time is critical. Then you have to have someone that knows how to read an xray and can determine what they are seeing. Timing is necessary....you cant do xrays before 48 days and expect to be really accurate...those little skeletons need to be calcified and that has taken place by day 48. I always have ultrasounds done at around week 4-5....to determine live babies, as well as number of babies. I have my xrays done on day 58......I use that to determine positions, number of babies, and to measure puppy/ pelvic ring ratio, to determine that they are going to fit through the birth canal. I am fortunate enough to have a vet that is great with taking and reading ultra sounds as well as x-rays....she seldom gets it wrong, and when she has, it has been by only one puppy shy.....I would be real uneasy if she looked at an xray that has been properly done, and missed it by 3 or more pups!!!

01-26-2015, 09:13 PM	#3
RavenKimber Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Center Valley, Pa USA Posts: 11	Thank you for replying. I had Raven's Xray done on day 53. This was this first time at a new Vet. My older Vet is now more then an hour away from me, so I needed to find one closer to home. He only did a side Xray and told me 3 pups. He also told me she looks and has no doubt she wouldn't be able to pass them. I should have looked into this before going their. I had no idea they could do a Xray while her laying on her back or also measuring the pups heads....I can home an posted the Xray pic to another yorkie site n n few people have me terrified now. Saying by the looks of the Xray the pups look huge n no way she'll be able to pass them. Then I was informed about how you can n have a back Xray done n the measurements. Is it possible he did measure the heads n just not tell me? How could he know that she will have no problems passing them without doing measurements? Today we are on day 57 and I'm a basket case all over again. He's a Vet so should instill trust in what he told me?

01-26-2015, 11:04 PM	#4
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	My vet does 2-3 views....one from either side, and one with her on her back. If you have an older xray system, where he is looking at a film on a light box, you can take calipers (like from geometry class) and measure a baby's head, then move the calipers to the pelvic ring and see if the measurement of the head, will fit through the pelvic ring. If your vet has the new computerized xray system, they can actually move that mouse all over that puppy, get measurements, then move to the pelvic ring, get the measurement there, the computer program will calculate all the dimensions and you will immediately see if the puppy will fit through the ring. (I was tickled to death with my vet and her new xray system.....I was calculating measurements on everything in that xray!!!) I would take the xray back to the vet and have him SHOW you, measuring the heads and the pelvic ring ratio....if the babies are "huge", he will have to do measurements to be safe....some can eyeball heads and the pelvic ring and see they will pass thru without problem....those babies can grow quite a bit that last week before they are whelped.....so if they are a tight squeeze NOW, at this early date, they probably are not going to fit in another 7-10 days.... Is there another vet around there? Even an ER vet? You may have to pay an ER vet to read the xray for you, but that is better than getting in a bind in the middle of the night and loosing the pups and the momma. Go to the ER vet....tell them you are getting prepared to whelp a litter of puppies, and you will be going to that ER for the delivery if it occurs in the middle of the night. Ask them if they will look at the xray so you can start getting transportation arranged to get you there if she runs into problems and you need help. (Maybe a tiny little white lie....but you need someone to read that xray for you!)

01-27-2015, 08:33 AM	#5
RavenKimber Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Center Valley, Pa USA Posts: 11	Thank You so much!! I am looking up ER Vets now. Even if I can take this Xray in n have them give me a second opinion. Something, anything to make me feel a little more at ease. I'm frustrated n disappointed with myself that I didn't know about all this xray stuff. I know a good amount about whelping & newborn pups, but not this :-(

01-27-2015, 08:35 AM	#6
RavenKimber Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Center Valley, Pa USA Posts: 11	Can you please tell me how to post a picture?? Haha, I can't figure anything out on this forum....ugh