Xraying puppies and radiation question

[VaBeachFamily]

So just curious, when you Xray for puppies, do you run any risks of harming the puppies with the radiation? Is there a best time that is both accurate and more safe?

[selzer]

Originally Posted by VaBeachFamily

So just curious, when you Xray for puppies, do you run any risks of harming the puppies with the radiation? Is there a best time that is both accurate and more safe?

No, the amount of radiation used for an x-ray when they do it at the correct time, should not hurt the puppies. However, when you x-ray the bitch for her pre-lims, and then for her ofa's and then prior to each litter being born to confirm pregnancy, and then maybe after a litter has been whelped to ensure there are no retained puppy, and then again in case of limping or injury, well it can add up. They do not like to do a lot of radiographs on humans, and will put a lead apron over the reproductive shtuff just in case. So, I personally think less is best.

Also, you have to wait for the bones to calcify before you can get any type of conformation or count on puppies. That happens on or around 45 days. Before 45 days the radiographs can affect the development of the puppies. And unless you know the exact day of ovulation, you really do not know what day 45 is, so you should probably wait until day 50 or even 56.