Perinatal supervision begins with the prenatal veterinary visit, which is essential for first-time or at-risk mothers. The visit should take place in the eighth week of gestation.
- A gynecological examination of the bitch will reveal any possible obstacles to whelping. The presence of fibrous bands in the vagina in primiparas (bitches carrying their first litter) can hinder expulsion of the puppies.
- One or more abdominal X-rays during this time will determine the number of fetuses more accurately than by ultrasound. This examination also reveals possible abnormalities that could cause dystocia, such as the small size of the pelvis, fetal mummification (shown by cloudy images, bone dislocations) or disproportion between the fetus and the mother. However, note that the positions of the fetuses as revealed by the X-ray are not good predictors of dystocia, because the position may change (rotate 180°) at the last minute.
- An ultrasound image of the uterus may help to evaluate the puppies'vitality by showing their heartbeats.
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