PetScan was established in 1989 to provide a reliable mobile nationwide ultrasonic pregnancy detection service for animals.It is the only mobile service to cover the whole of England and Wales.
We offer a reliable pregnancy detection service in dogs and cats, from as early as three weeks gestation (although pregnancies can be detected earlier on a real “need to know” basis.)
We will come to you or you are welcome to come to us at our base in Milton Keynes.
To find out more about the extensive range of services that we offer, please scroll down the page.
PetScan was started in 1989 because I mated my first bitch and went through the pregnancy, having been told by an experienced breeder that she was definitely in whelp, believing all was progressing normally.
When her due date arrived, she went through all the normal behaviours, and even her temperature dropped to around 98 deg. Then … absolutely nothing. A trip to the vet, who said “Leave her a couple of days and if nothing’s happening we’ll X-ray her to see what the problem is” !!
As you can imagine I went through hell, worrying whether she’d be all right. I wasn’t worried about puppies — I just wanted her to be OK ! Eventually the vet took her in to X-ray and told me she wasn’t pregnant. Phew!
Several months later, I was sitting waiting outside the X-ray department of my local hospital, watching all the expectant mums going in and out for their ultrasound scans and coming out excited and proud to show off their photos and I wondered why, as we’d been scanning humans routinely for about 15 years, we weren’t scanning dogs.
To cut a long story short, I discovered that the main reason was that they had fur coats which makes getting a good contact with the skin almost impossible and no-one was interested in working through that problem.
I spoke to numerous “experts”, none of whom had an answer. Then I remembered
back to the early days of scanning that they used to use cooking oil on mums’ bellies when scanning. I worked out that the modern water-based gels used in scanning effectively trapped the air between the hairs and made contact very difficult. Also animals lick themselves so a safe cooking oil would solve the problem without the need to shave or clip hair at all.
Having invested £17,000 in a machine and £1,000 plus on training (the only training available was in cattle, sheep and humans) PetScan was born.
To this day I have never needed to clip or shave an animal. Because I love animals,
even the most wary bitches accept me because I take time to allow them to work me out. (The same applies with cats.) All have been quite happy to be scanned.
There is nothing to frighten them. There is no need for any forcible restraint.
All animals are best scanned standing up, with their owners present for reassurance.
I am happy to travel anywhere for their convenience or they are welcome to visit
me at home.
We are a friendly company and welcome any enquiries, from breeders and vets,
many of whom use our service and expertise to enhance their services and as yet I don't believe a single one has been disappointed with our service.
Domini Allday, PetScan
PetScan is the only mobile ultrasonic pregnancy detection service for animals to cover the whole of England and Wales. We offer a reliable pregnancy detection service in dogs and cats from as early as three weeks gestation.
The best time to scan is usually around 28 days after the last mating, for slim breeds and 30-32 days in very heavily-built breeds. Horses can also be scanned abdominally from four months or per-rectum as early as 21 days. Whilst it is very easy to see some very early pregnancies, a guaranteed “No” cannot be given before 28 days from the last mating date.
No shaving or clipping of the coat is necessary, nor is any form of restraint or sedation, as we use an edible oil base for good contact and scan all bitches standing where they are at their most relaxed. Hence show bitches not in whelp can be returned to show condition very quickly.
If scanned at the ideal time the service can offer detail on the numbers of puppies/kittens expected, the relative size (at the date of scanning) and the due date of whelping/ kittening.
Bitches for export can be scanned and exported definitely “in whelp.” Bitches in quarantine can be scanned, thus enabling the kennels to know whether or not to prepare for whelping.
The benefits of scanning
Scanning compares very favourably with other methods, currently
available for pregnancy detection. For example, several bitches presented as not pregnant by blood tests have, on scanning, in fact proved to contain up to 10 viable whelps, whereas bitches which have been blood tested and returned a positive result have been shown, on scanning, to be empty.
The most obvious reason for this is that the blood profile in a phantom pregnancy closely mimics that of a genuine pregnancy.
Scanning also offers the opportunity to detect malformed and non-viable whelps with ease and has proved its worth on several occasions when, despite an X-ray showing no pups retained after whelping, it has detected a retained foetus and, on numerous occasions, a retained afterbirth.
Anasarcic pups (water puppies) have been detected up to 18 days prior to due date, their position determined and their weight recorded up to 150% of the normal weight of non-affected whelps in the same bitch.
Mummified pups have also been detected in utero and weighed on both occasions. In these instances they presented no problems and the bitches whelped without assistance.
A case has been presented of a bitch which contained an apparently normal but dead pup approximately four times the
normal size — obviously a case for caesarean section without
delay.
PetScan offers a professional service to the world of veterinary surgery, at very reasonable cost to the client and at no cost to the vet. We will be delighted to offer any veterinary practice a demonstration at their convenience.
We also offer a degree of diagnostic capability solely to veterinary surgeons. Hepatic, renal, splenic and ovarian tumours can be detected, renal calculi, bladder and gall stones are easily visualised.
Cystic kidneys, pyometra and endometriosis can be detected at an early stage thus increasing the chance of successful treatment with antibiotics and
the avoidance of the necessity for surgery.
PetScan operates using real-time ultrasound with a 5MHz linear transducer. The equipment also has the facility to offer M-mode which enables one to observe the activity of a cross-section of the heart in a graphical form, showing the movement of valves for example, in relation to time.
This relationship can be observed in a split-screen situation with a real image. A second screen is also available for comparison situations.
The equipment also has a video output
facility, so prints can be obtained on our video printer or direct taping of a scan can
be performed, for analysis, at a later time. (which is very useful in unusual cases
where an expert opinion may be
sought without the need for a client,
or second opinion, to travel great
distances.)
We are happy to maintain a professional discretion with any vet using the service and will not seek to deal with clients directly unless it is previously agreed with the practice in advance.
However we do advertise our services to the dog world and may not always be aware whose veterinary practice our clients use if they approach us directly.
We charge 35p per mile travelled (round trip) plus £35 per scan
for cats and dogs. Horses are charged at the same mileage and
£50 for the first and £40 for the second or more horses scanned
at the same time and the same venue.
Printouts are available,
if ordered at the time of booking the scan, and cost £2 each.
All prices are subject to VAT.
As well as our professional scanning services, PetScan also has a wide range of products for sale to dog lovers:
Weanafeeda feeding systems for weaning puppies.These come in three sizes. Maxi: suitable for large breeds. Mini: suitable for breeds from approximately westie size to border collie size. The new micro size: suitable for toy breeds and kittens. These consist of light, easy to clean, raised trays which contain 4-6 stainless steel bowls (included in the price) and are cleverly designed to prevent the greedier or stronger puppies from pushing out the less vigorous or weaker pups. This enables the breeder to know what each pup is eating and the facility to feed the hungrier pups more, reducing the risk of food guarding instincts developing.
Aboistop products, which include:
Antibark collars in two different sizes: Large £80, Small £120
Masterplus: (which are remotely operated collars to discourage unwanted behaviours of any description). £165
Refills: for these collars in odourless, citronella or mustard. £11
Batteries: for both products and for the remote unit. From £4.00
Tally counters or clickers: for judging in obedience competition. £9.99 each.
Distance Control and ASSD cards: Smart laminated format, available in two different sizes, in complete sets or part sets.The complete sets consist of every single combination of positions which include two of each stand, sit, down position on every card, in
each case leaving the dog in the same position as it is on return:
eg: 10 cards leaving dog in stand, returning to the dog in the stand.10 cards leaving the dog in the sit, returning to the dog in the sit. 10 cards leaving the dog in the down, returning to the dog in the down.
Plus the 6 possible ASSD combination cards. Small sets £10.00 Large sets £15.00
Sendaway markers: Coloured tapes to make changes of colours and patterns to closely resemble the markers used by judges on the day of a show. These can then be returned to their original state by removing the tape.
Rosette cabinets: 70x 56cm (28in x 20in approx) Strung and with hanging hooks provided (guaranteed to go into any wall with a few taps from a hammer) Beautifully made from MDF, lined with green baize, with a framed perspex front which is hinged and closed by strong magnetic closures, So when you arrive home with your rosette simply open the door pop in your rosette and they will be on show and not collecting dust, hence they all stay in fabulous condition for years. Only £40.00 each
Special hand-crafted cards for congratulations to your friends
when they win a class, or just achieve that 1st rosette, or simply good luck in the next class up. Or for any occasion: birthday, anniversary, engagement etc. Special requests welcome. Prices
start at just £2.