Hi all,
I’m new to this forum so please be kind.   I previously bred toy breeds but my last litter was in 2012. Now I have an English show type cocker spaniel.  I have bought my bitch from health tested parents and I have had my bitch hipscored 0-0 gonioscopy clear, dna rested for PRA, FN and DM clear.
I have had trouble getting my girl pregnant
Her Idexx bloods read as they should with a typical rise of progesterone that one would expect and she stands and ties well.
She is now 3.5.
This was a final attempt and in my mind I thought I would get her spayed. It was the first time I had used Idexx but my 3rd attempt so I  took my girl to stud 30 hours after the read  35.9 spoke they assured me this would be ok. I spoke to Larry at Idexx about the latest result of no puppies despite taking her to stud at the correct time and he said to maybe consider trying again but monitoring her progesterone levels after the mating to see if it’s a dip in progesterone that may be causing pregnancy to fail.
This sounds like a perfectly possible explanation but I’m unsure about the treatment if it is the case,  there’s little I can read up on this and my vet says progesterone is no longer available to order on prescription she says it tricky to get the right dosage too.
My girls shows all the symptoms associated with pregnancy quite noticeable is her hunger it is always off the scale following her season and her teats are swollen each time nesting etc so I’m not sure that the dip in progesterone is the actual cause any kind advice welcome

All I can say is given all this just makes me wonder how in the world anybody got their breeding programme underway!  Yes, when applicable, I suppose testing etc (not the usual KC/BVA testing which has to be done) can help, but I just mated my girls, when they were ready (in standing heat with willing partners) and in good health generally, and sat back and waited.   I only had ONE miss (in 10 litters only) and it was discovered the stud dog I'd used had missed to every other bitch he served - and there was quite a lot of interest as he had been recently brought up to Canada from the States.   So we were all interested in what he would throw.   How that kennel got hold of him became obvious!!

Believe me my girl does all the right signals she is ready! I must say when I bred toy breeds i didn’t have this issue ever!

I would be speaking to a repro vet on this. My girls have a very small window and have to be taken to the stud as soon as they have ovulated. Before that they are on wheatgerm oil for a month before coming into season. 1 week of ab's as soon as coming into season and the herpes vaccine at the same time.
One of my girls the repro vet suggested doing another progesterone test 2 weeks post mating to check levels remained high enough, yes you can get progesterone in oil if needed which i didn't.
35 is high and 30hrs after that could be too late for many bitches. I would look for someone giving same day results for progesterone testing like a repro vet and take for mating as soon as she has ovulated and do daily matings over a few days.. give it everything:-)

Hi Thankyou for your advice in my gut I too felt it was too late but was asssured it should have been ok. I too believe that it’s likely my girl has a small window. May I ask how many times you tried before having success with your girl?

I’m not a superstitious person but Idexx called me on my mobile and said her bloods were at 35.9 and I needed to take to the stud soon, I got into my car with my daughter and was having a discussion with her that I felt it was possibly too late. I then put on the car radio and the first song that came on was “it’s too late” by Carole King! bit weird but I said then I bet it is too late!

We tested that with my girl after she had missed and it was our last try, we were advised to progesterone test around day 18 to check the levels were not too low during implantation. We also used the herpies vac as well. Levels were fine in mine.

Some girls do seem to have more problems getting and carrying than others. I know of one in another breed who would either miss or be confirmed pregnant by scan to go on to later scan as empty no pups, owner never got a litter from her in the end.

Thanks Jo was this the first time you used progesterone testing? I take it you were successful on the last try?

Not the first time no, we used it on the first try and the third try, but that was the first time using it after like that. Yes we had one chunky handsome boy.

Thankyou that’s very helpful to know I think maybe I will try once more and take her when she ovulates and maybe 48 hours after that too. I’ve now found a wonderful stud owner who is prepared to help me instead of telling me when to come to suit them! That was another issue in the beginning for me before I turned to using Idexx.

I would give the CHV vaccine 7 days into her season.