I just learned that Croft is opened 7 days a week to run progesterone results.  Idexx closes at weekends and hols etc.

Is this a reason to use Croft?

Is there a reason to use one more than the other?  Most people on here seem to use IDexx - why, when Croft is open 24/7?

Thanks.

where is croft based?
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Fit and Fertile are doing it too.

i think we used croft this time ,my vet took the bloods and they came to collect it from vets and got results same day plus i know it can be done on sat not sure about sundays thats why i wonderd where crfot was.
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Croft is oop north:

http://www.croft-reproduction.co.uk/

Mine must have been done by /croft last year, we had teh results the same day and it was by collection from teh vet.

did you use the vets thats around the coner from the scanning lady we use reikiangel ????
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To White Lilly, it's Newcastle area.

Yes, he's lovely vet. 

yes he is :)
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I do wonder if she's on commission with him though, lol.

i like his as he's quite gentle.

well just read link which i dont understand (as usual
SERIUM REQUIRE either collect blood in plain tube allow to clot and separate serum or clooect into gel tube centifuge and seperate serum into plain tube
DO NOT SENDSERUM IN GEL TUBE
chill before sending
WHAT!!!!! is that what the sender has to do or the vet?
ILL STICK TO IDEX  GOT TO BE SIMPLE AND SRAIGHTFORWARD FOR ME

LOL i didnt get any of that ???? vet took the blood i paid my money he sent it off ;)
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I do wonder if she's on commission with him though, lol.

LOL very well could be ;) but not a bad thing! if i lived closer i would use him all the time :)
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I'm slowly swapping to him, keep drifting back to my regular vets out of habit.

Welshie - those instructions are for Vets.

The actual test for progesterone levels is done on the serum. In simple terms this is the pale coloured liquid that floats on the top when the sample has been spun and separted from the dark red blood cells, which fall to the bottom. Serum is sent in plain tubes, that is those with no internal coating to affect the contents.

Some Labaratories (like Idexx) require the whole blood to be sent in a specified tube which is internally coated to clot the blood to their requirements. Others require the serum only to be sent, so the sample is ready prepared for them to do the test on receipt.

Just ask the vet to spin the blood and refrigerate for 30 mins before sending.  (Or you can take it home and pop it in the fridge for 30 mins and send it yourself.)

How much is Idexx though?  Croft told me their test costs £32 - then the vet is going to want something for the appointment and blood taking, and there's postage on top of that.  Could be v expensive!

It is great that Croft are open 24/7 but phew, is it more than Idexx?  What do they charge?

Starting to think we might just go with the regular in-house colour-changing vet test! 

just used idex had the diagonostic envelope with eveything in since last year so sent price as was on the form £25 but may be more now
all i did was pop to vet get blood sample (which was nearly £25 (RIPOFF) then i put form and blood sample in the envelope provided by idex PREPAID  and the phone next day

So it does look like the Idexx/Croft tests are about the same, give or take a few quid.

The Premate ones which the vet does in-house are I'd guess cheaper?

> The Premate ones which the vet does in-house are I'd guess cheaper?

I paid £27 each for 3 in house tests in 2003, so not much cheaper I wouldn't' think

But if that includes the bloods too, then it would be half the price, no?

I think my vet is going to want to charge me at least £25-35 for just the appointment and bloods taken, regardless of what I do with the bloods.  If I send them off to Croft it would be another £32 on top of that - so over £50 a test eek.