No Cubs for Josie

Well, after much anticipation, our most recent ultrasound shows that Josie is definitely not pregnant. To recap: we artificially inseminated her at the end of February. About three weeks ago we performed an ultrasound that clearly showed a fluid-filled structure and what appeared to be a beating heart. However, when we next performed the procedure we could still see the sac, but couldn't locate any movement or structure within. Then last Thursday the sac was gone completely. So what does this mean? Our resident reproductive physiologist is quite certain that Josie was pregnant, but the fetus or fetuses were either resorbed or miscarried. While we are of course very disappointed, we are at least encouraged that the insemination procedure seemed to work. That in itself is enormously promising. We will try again next year when Josie starts cycling again in the winter. Although she is aging, we will remain optimistic of future success. It sure would have been fun to have been blogging about cubs all summer, though!


Josie, the perfect patient. (No drugs are involved...she's just in her tactile trance!)