boxer pregnancy

Question
Hello,
I have been breeding boxers for about 10 years and all my dogs are health tested prior to breeding. On February 7th I bred my 3 yr old female and 2yr old male and they tied 6 times total. I have alot of experience in breeding and whelping but have a few questions for you:
How accurate is ultrasound at determining pregnancy?
How accurate is ultrasound at estimating due date and litter size?

My new vet reccomended ultrasound at 32 days and I have never used ultrasound before so was just wondering what the rates are as far as accuracy. I appreciate any help..

Answer
Melissa,

The accuracy is debatable depending upon what vet you talk to. We do not use ultrasound to determine pregnancy. We have the vet take a blood sample on day 21 after the last tie. I have never used ultrasound to determine due date and litter size. You should be able to determine your due date on your own. It is generally day 63 AFTER the last tie. We have always used x-ray to determine the number of puppies that our bitch will have. If we think there is a chance that puppies might be hiding then we re-do another ultrasound a few days prior to the due date. You don't want to do x-rays any earlier then day 45 because that is when the puppies bones have calcified. If you want to do the ultrasound I see no problem in it but I think it is just a way for the vet to make more money off you and I personally think that x-rays are better at letting you know how many puppies there are give or take 1-2 either way...I think ultrasound will be able to see the heartbeats but with all the fluid and sacs in the way I think it might make it hard to tell as well. Can I ask why you had them tie so many times?