My bitch is on day 14 of season. Bloods taken day 10, levels 3.1, cytology day 10, 12, 13 last one showed 100 per cent cornified cells so apparently ovulated. However blood taken day 13 shows prog level still 3.1!!!! Totally confused! The bitch us flagging but not allowing mounting. Any ideas anyone?

I had the same thing with one of mine, had swabs done on 16th, 17th, 20th & on the last one, the 22nd of the month I was told to take her for mating ASAP. Experienced dog showed no interest. Progesterone tests done on 25th of the month showed she had ovulated & got 3 matings 25/26/27th, 5 pups resulted.
It's down to the eggs taking time to mature after ovulation.

Same here, i had readings which didnt move, then they went up and even down again!
The bloods will tell you when she ovulates eventually :)

Thanks all, think I need to ignore the swabs and go by the bitch herself and then bloods.

Thats what i do go by the bitch then bloods worked every time.

We do our own cytology, then go by the bitch behaviour.    The cytology takes a little bit of getting your eye in, but there are some every good helpful websites.    It helps as you can be pretty sure that you haven't missed the critical time, even though the bitch might not stand yet - if that makes sense.....

If I were travelling any distance, I would definitely do an Idexx PG test as well.

Jo

Thanks All.

Apologies for the long post but I need to give all the info I think to give you an idea of what's happening.  Still nothing more from the bitch other than "wafty" flagging (as opposed to the really strong "whip like" flagging if you know what I mean).  She lives with a castrated male and has also been tried with 2 proven stud dogs who will mate a bitch from the time she ovulates for around 4 days.  Both the stud dogs and the castrated male have all been trying to mate her since yesterday but she is having none of it.  She is happy to flag, be licked, etc but will not allow any of them to put even one paw on her without jumping away.  She also panics if we try to restrain her at all.  She has been flagging like this for 8 days now.  She will also try to mount the dog over the last day or two.

Now I have no issue with "steadying" a reluctant maiden but this bitch is seriously objecting to any attempt to mount.  She's not bottling out at penetration, the dogs aren't allowed to get anywhere near that.  She doesn't get nasty with them, just jumps away a little and then will stand again until they attempt to mount and the same happens.  As I say she isn't flagging really strongly and nor is she doing that "freeze" position, head lowered, etc.  Her back twitches and arches a little but that's it.  She lives with my friend so I am having to go on what she says but apparently she normally flags when they run their hand down her back or even if they just make a fuss of her.  She will normally do this for just a couple of days at the very end of her season.  This has not happened as yet apparently.

I suspect she is not quite ready yet, the boys may be saying she is but I feel that maybe she won't mate until the eggs are ready which I am hoping is over the next couple of days.

From the scientific point of view:  She is day 16 tommorow.  Blood taken day 10 gave reading of 3.1, blood taken day 13 gave reading of 3.1.  Unable to get another test due to bank holiday.  Cytology day 10 80% cornified cells, cytology day 12 85% cornified cells, cytology day 13 100% cornified cells so vet advised ovulated day 12/13.

I don't think I have to panic yet but must admit am getting a little nervous.  Its hard to determine if she is being uncoperative or just not ready.  I would add that she is a bitch who is very confident and sociable around other dogs and has no hangups in that department.

Oops sorry, she is day 17 tommorow, day 16 today.