Source checked November 12, 2026. Editorial team. Not professionally reviewed.
Evidence cards
Choose an evidence distinction
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Why a result needs its scope
VCA explains that a positive relaxin test indicates pregnancy at the time of testing, but it does not confirm that developing puppies are alive or that live puppies will be born. Removing that second sentence changes the meaning of the first. Our cards display both the statement and its boundary together. They do not accept results, calculate probabilities or predict a pregnancy outcome.
Why appearance is not a verdict
Blue Cross lists physical and behavioral changes associated with phantom pregnancy and notes that some concerning signs may have another cause. A familiar-looking change therefore cannot function as a home confirmation test. The cards are a reading aid, not a symptom selector. They cannot distinguish pregnancy, phantom pregnancy, infection or another condition in an individual dog.
Why different methods ask different questions
VCA distinguishes pregnancy detection, assessment of developing puppies and estimation of litter size. The article discusses ultrasound and radiographs in different roles rather than treating every method as interchangeable. The cards do not tell readers which test to choose, when to arrange it or how to interpret images. Those are questions for the treating veterinarian in the actual case.