Had my girl tested today, on day 8.  The level came back 8.9 and I have to test again tomorrow, (according to the lab, spoke to the receptionist).  is it a waste putting her through another test so soon (and money of course).

Thanks

No, assuming that it the progesterone levels double every day tomorrow could be ovulation day which is why they'll want to test again. As it will be about 18 ish.

Levels increase by approx 50% per day - so tomorrow she'll be around 13/14 and early 20's the following day.

Hi, not sure but when my last girl was tested her level was 8.2 ng of progesterone, and the interpretation which came with the result said this indicated that she was currently ovulating and should be mated in 2 days time.  One breeding was done, which resulted in a litter (which whelped today coincidentally!)

The bitch before that was tested and had a result of only 3.9 ng.  The interpretation predicted that this meant she would ovulate the next day.  We used their best breeding day for a single mating 2 days after their predicted day and this also resulted in a litter.

So going off my results, you could presume that the bitch was ovulating today, and should be bred in about 2 days time.  But it might be worth speaking to the lab to ask why they want to retest, perhaps they advocate waiting for a certain level and then say "breed now" rather than use a single result to make a prediction.  

Are nm-mols the same as ng? As I've only ever done it in nm-mols, in which case ovulation occurs during 15 and 20nm mols?

no, just checked my reports, and 3.9 ng equals 12.5 nmol, how confusing! So in that case if Sunshines result has been given in nmol not ng it does look too early to tell when she would ovulate 

ETA if measured in ng ovulation occurs around 5ng

Thanks for replies, they were really helpful.  Will talk to the vet before I take her as she possibly goes early.  Plus to find out what it was measured in.
Thanks

Saw the vet, its measured in mols/mml.  8.9=about 4.4ng if any help.

Retested today to see if doubles, if it does she could be ready by the weekend, so she could be an early taker.  But could stay like that also.  by the reaction of my old girl around her bottom and my girl letting her, i think its going to double.

Sleepless nights here we come.

Just had my girl tested today, we don't get the results till tomorrow though. I'm going to go again Monday, then Wednesday or Thursday if necessary - not cheap, but worth it to avoid the 2.5 hour drive to the stud dog until it's the right day!

what is the cost for each test ?

Depends which test you have, the NG test is almost twice as expensive.

Had results back today, up to 16.  Says about to or is ovulating and recommends a retest tomorrow.  Decided now its increased no more retest and she's a dirty cow with my old one lol, so that clinches it.  And from what i read it'll increase so why have them tell me that.

Here's me thinking a blood test would be easier.  Fingers crossed for the weekend when she'll be ready.

Mine was about £45, so must be the cheaper one I guess?

£45 wow is that for just 1 if so how many do you have to have?

We pay £40 for one NG test, generally we do the first test between 8 and 10 days after start of bleeding and up to now we have been very lucky in only needing that one test, as they were all either ovulating or ovulating within a day or two, but if the levels are very low they ask for you to return in 2 days, so if your bitch is a late ovulater, you could spend a small fortune.  We still prefer to use this method as firstly in saves travelling miles to the stud dog only to find him not interested, or travelling more than once for repeat breedings, we just breed once on the correct day and have been very lucky so far.  

thanks for that ! might need to do this next time ,we will have to travel to stud dog and its miles away x

Did you test again yesterday?  The result?  I would think you'd be visiting the stud either today or tomorrow

Yes, £45 for one test. It came back 2.4 and 'test in 3 to 4 days', so we'll be back on Monday.... Stud dog owner has a minor op on Wednesday so this could be interesting....

I would think she'd be ready Weds/Thurs - have you made alternative plans to use another stud dog in case he's not up to it?

No, I've got a free return on this one - she did say I could bring a friend to help if she's too sore to sit on the floor and do the stud end! Tested again today (day 9) so fingers crossed she hangs on to the end of the week when I will be rather closer to that area of the country anyway...

do your breed always have to be held?

I assumed most breeds were - just in case the bitch turns on the dog if she's a bit unsure, though she isn't a maiden, or in case the dog is over eager and doesn't get himself in the right place before it's too late. But yes, my breed is usually held. :-)

i just wondered :) i know what you mean about being their tho "for the just in case!" luckly ive never had to do anything ,dont know if ive just been very lucky or my breed just get on with it ;) x

Sunshine - has your girl been off to visit the stud this weekend?

It's up to 12.1! Vet said test again tomorrow but she can't be far off. :-)

I run a Siemens Immulite machine here.
I test on average 7 bitches per day.
If you are going to do a mating using fresh semen/natural mating then you have quite a large window in which do do the mating as the semen is able to live inside the bitch for a good few days.
With frozen semen the situation is very much different,sometimes the "window " may be as little as 12 hours,therefore it is difficult to predict the exact time to mate just by using a numerical value produced by the machine,there are many other factors to be taken into account!.
However,I assume most people on here are sending blood test to the lab with a view to taking the bitch to visit the stud dog for a natural mating.In this case the margin of error is fairly large.
I have set my machine to read in ng/ml
In very simplistic terms

Bitches ovulate anywhere between 4 and 10 ng/ml
At ovulation the eggs are not ready to be fertilised and take approx 48 hours to mature and become ready for fertilisation.
Once mature they will stay RIPE for 48 to 36 hours.
All things being equal If you mate a bitch using fresh semen once she has reached 14ng/ml you will almost certainly get  pups

Sorry to keep hijacking the thread, but I'm still a little confused. Yesterday the vet said that if it showed over 20 that would mean they had ovulated. But I checked my records of the last litter and she was about 13 or so when I got a call to say she'd ovulated and I should go that day. We got 2 pups from that mating. So now this time she's hardly any less and I was told she hadn't yet ovulated. Does that mean the 2 tests (from 2 different vets as we have moved during the 2 years since that litter) are using the 2 different scales of measurement mentioned somewhere in a thread?

Tested again today anyway, and have booked stud for Saturday in the hope the test will back me up!

I would think that they the 13 was using the ng scale and the 20+ was using the nm-mols scale

If she is 20ng/ml you have just about missed her

I misread it, last litter (2 years ago) she was 17.3 when I was told she had ovulated. This season she was 12.1 on Monday and the vet said ovulation would be 20 or over. So that's probably the same scale of measurement and just a slight difference in interpretation. Anyway, fingers crossed they tell me to go Saturday!

Wednesday's test came out as 22 and had ovulated, so I spent the evening driving a 5 hour round trip and back - got a 15 minute tie though! Fingers crossed!! :-)

Will you be going back again Lucydogs?  I thought Saturday would have been leaving it a little late for first mating.  Hope she's taken ok.

Yep, back on Saturday - stud dog owner tried to talk me out of it but as I'm not too far away that morning anyway it's worth a try! If ovulation occurred say Tuesday, eggs are released in immature state and should be ready for fertilisation any time now, so worth another go. I spent most of the tie whispering 'girls, girls' to Morgan, SDO probably thought I was mad! :-)

I've a bitch due very soon and I'm really hoping she has more girls than boys so I have a choice in which one to keep here.  Can't make my mind up whether she's huffing a bit due to warm weather or she's starting!!

The next 9 weeks could go rather slowly here.... :-)

Hi 

Sorry been busy last week last few days.  had my girl mated last Saurday and it went very well.  She was very receptive to the boy, so now fingers crossed.  Going for a scan in a few weeks.  So excited, i feel like a kid.  Her behaviours no different yet but has got a little more clingy over the weekend, so i'm hoping its not a coincidence.

I paid £35.00 per blood test, at my usual vets it would have been £55.00 or £40.00 per pre-mate which they (as you do to make money)recommend starting on day four.  So you see why swapped vets.

Forgot,
Lucydog how did you get on this weekend.  maybe the girls can swap pregnancy notes with each other.lol.

Manic weekend! Test came back 4pm Thursday with a 22.0, has ovulated, vet said tomorrow should be ok, but I thought that day would be better. So persauded stud dog owner and friend, left work early, persuaded more friends to feed the boys, galloped off to Middlesex, and got a 15 minute tie! Next day had the meal with my old dog club so packed up all dogs and stayed with a friend overnight (never again - long story!). Saturday drove over to SDO again and got an 18 minute tie - yay!! Feel absolutely shattered tonight but fingers crossed!! Now I have to decide whether to be patient (ha!) or whether to scan or have her palpated when it's time....

I seem to have forgot what patient is lol.  Good luck, we're a week in so still playing the guessing game.  I think we got it right so roll on sleepless nights.