Has anyone done the pre-mate testing on their bitch?

If so what exactly happens, I am thinking of using this method when my bitch next comes in to season and would just like to know others opinions on this, good or bad.

How accurate is it?

Thanks

It is pretty accuarate as long as you start the testing before the bitch is likely to ahve ovualted.  This in most cases means about day 7 or 8.

You need to do this as you need a negative reading.  You then have blood taken every other day until the progesterone levels start to rise.  With the in house tests thsi shows as a xolour change with the activating mix.  When you get a test showign rising levels you test dauily until you get above 5nanograms in the quantative lab tests or the colour chart shows the corect colour in the inhouse 'Premate' test.

Having treid to mate my bitch and seen the bitches and dogs reactions on an earlier seasoin I know that I wouldn't need to start testing until day 10.  I had 3 tests done. first showed levels rising, so tested next day still rising, and on third day showed that she was ovulating (day 12). 

She was reluctant to stand for the dog though happy to try and mount him, but we got a mating just as she would have been going over (day 16) and a small litter.

Worked for my friend, she's been trying to mate her bitch for 2 1/2 years, and when she borrowed her friend's ovulation detector it turned out the bitch needed to go to the dog on days 17 and 19!!! She still doesn't look pregnant, but at 7 weeks she can finally feel movement, hooray!!

One of my friends used it and was told no not ready, used again, still not ready, used again still not ready, did it again, I told her to come down and use the dog as he'll know, he mated her, she got the test results back and it said that she was still not ready.  She had a litter of pups though!

Sorry not impressed by it at all, but there again I've always been of the belief that the dog knows best but also will keep the bitch if necessary.

Used it without success last year, had the test ond ays 11,13,15,17,19 got a mating on day 20, result = no puppies. BUT....I have also heard good results from other people, someone I know had a bitch miss twice got her premated and it worked. So for me it's mixed results but thats based on my one experience of using it :-)

We've used it on one of our girls, she had 4 tests all saying not ready, but I could tell she was ready so took her to stud they tied and had 8 pups!!  and this was after the test said on that day NOT READY, plus she only had the one mating.

my girl was tested with the ovulation detector on day 11 by stud owner- definately not ready she said- you can try her but i would bring her back later. we tried and were ok but i took her back twice as well as i was so worried i would miss the day.
result 11 good size pups born on day 59! must have taken on first mating

O dear not sounding too promising not sure if it's worth the effort and cost?

I might be better off using my own instincts and knowing my girl has I do I should stand a better chance of a litter by observing her and going with my gut reaction.

Thank you all very much for your replies.

Just out of interest how much does it cost for pre-mating test?

I know this depends on location, and individual vets fee's I have not contacted my vet yet for a cost or info has my bitch is not due in season untill next month.

I paid £21 per test and had 5 tests so just over £100. I know people who have paid as much as £35 suppose it depends on your area.

I paid something over £70 for 3 tests two years ago.

Unless you have a difficult bitch or one that has missed more than once and you can easily get to the stud dog  on two occasions then ther is nothing better than taking yoru bitch to stay at the studs for a week.  Take her before she is likely to be ready and bring her back a week later.

i would never have left my bitch at the stud dogs- she would have hated being stuck in a kennel for a week instead of in her home environment with all its comforts. i took 3 100 mile trips to get my bitch safely mated. leaving her there would have stressed her terribly

Not all owners of stud dogs kennel the bitch!  I know that I wouldn't but there again I wd. ensure that the male couldn't get to her whilst I wasn't there.  She would have all the home comforts and he would lose out for a few days :d

my stud kennel had 100 dogs and 10 studs all in kennels, probably a different situation to yours