My bitch Josie is due to come into season soon.  I was going to get pre mate tests done on her, to narrow down the best days for mating her, but I've just spoke to the owner of the stud dog we're using and she suggested an ovary scan.  I've done a search on the site and nothing has came up (I've been secretly addicted for weeks, and found the answers of any other questions on a search!).
Has anyone used this?  She said it was supposed to be very accurate.  In my area, North West, A pig scanner does this, he looks at the folicles, I think and can predict the best time to mate. Sounds wonderful if it works, i 've got a 3 and a half hour drive to the stud dog.
We've had all the health tests done for Josie and have also had alot of help and advice from the breeder ( who I'll be ringing to ask aswell).  Any feedback would be great.

Hi, I am new to the board, well new to posting, but have been reading with great interest over several months.
I just thought I'd mention that I live in the North West too and a man called Keith Shea (he has been mentioned on the forum quite often) scanned my bitches ovaries to determine when she was going to ovulate, hence enabling me to take her to the stud dog on exactly the right day. It is extremely accurate - more so than the premate blood test and it can tell you if she is going to ovulate and when, in the next five days (provided you haven't left it too late of course !) I have now had two bitches ovaries scanned to determine ovulation by Keith and it certainly has been very accurate for me - particularly useful, if like me, you have to travel a fair distance to the stud dog. With my bitch who is due on thursday, Keith was able to tell me take her on Thursday (which was three days after the scan) for optimum chances of a successful mating! Brilliant !

Thanks Andrea, that was a great help.  I presume the ovary scanning isn't used very often, by the lack of replies.  It was keith shea who was mentioned to me, so i'll give him a ring.  Couple of questions though.
Can you remember what day of the season, they had the scan and the day they got mated?  also did they just mate once on the day he suggested?  Last one!  Did you travel to him or did he come to you?  I'm in the Lakes.
Good luck for Thursday, you're going to have a busy Christmas.

I find this of interest as I have a bitch that is difficult to mate, but do not relish having to have repeated blood samples as she hates having blood drawn, and it is very traumatic.

I did have one bitches ovaries scanned to check for cystic ovaries as she had bled for a whole motnh when in season, but was found to be perfectly OK and was mated the next season.

Keith will come to you, which is another bonus and it costs £30 which is roughly the same as a premate blood test at my vets. He travels all over the North West, but if you find he doesn't cover your area, he may well know of someone who does. Not sure if I am allowed to put his tel no on here as it is advertising so I won't but if you put in a search on this forum for Keith Shea, you will find a link to his website.
Basically, the scan can tell you if your bitch will be ready for mating within the next five days, so it is kind of up to you when you opt for the first scan. I know my bitch that is due on Thurs ovulates late and also the signs to look for when she is approaching ovulation so I did not have her scanned until day 14 and she was ready on day 16 - he can predict this by measuring the size of the follicles.
Yes it is going to be a busy Christmas but better to have a litter of newborns during the Festive season than a litter of 6 week old rascals !

Forgot to add, yes one mating was sufficient but Keith did say that if I was planning to take her twice that Wednesday and Friday would have been the days to take her (But Thurs was deffo the best day). He even told me that if I was going to take her on the Wed and Fri that not to leave the Fri mating any later than midday as it would be pushing it taking her any later than that. Brilliant !

Thanks for your help, I'll have to decide what to do soon.  Josie is just starting to swell up a bit now.