In one embodiment, enhanced packet flow monitoring is performed by packet switching devices in a network. A packet switching device is configured to monitor a flow of packets passing through the packet switching device, including detecting a gap in consecutive packets of the flow of packets, and attributing the gap as not being dropped one or more packets based on a particular time duration between a last received packet of the flow of packets before said detected gap and a first received packet of the flow of packets after said detected gap. In one embodiment, the gap is attributed to not being dropped packets when the particular time duration is greater than a threshold value; and conversely, attributed to being dropped packets when the particular time duration is less than a same or different threshold value.