Dog Progesterone Test and Vaginal Cytology

Dog Progesterone Test and Vaginal Cytology.

Sometimes the breeding process can be confusing. In our clinic, we require two different types of tests to determine if the female is ready for breeding. The information provided below is extremely important to understand if you are going to breed your dog.

Dog Progesterone Vaginal Cytology

A vaginal cytology is an evaluation commonly done. For many years, this was our only practical tool with which to time breedings. The cells seen at the ideal time for breeding are a high percentage of cornified epithelial cells, with few red blood cells (RBC’s), white blood cells (WBC’s) or debris. The vaginal smear may also indicate the presence of other problems such as vaginitis. The test is simple, safe, inexpensive, well tolerated by the bitch approaching estrus, and very helpful in timing breeds.

Examination of a single smear can provide useful information, but can also be misleading. For example, it is often difficult to differentiate proesterus and disestrus from an isolated smear. It is most useful to evaluate multiple smears taken from the same bitch. These slides can be labeled with the date collected and stored for evaluation sequentially as she moves through her estrus cycle to monitor trends in cellular cornification.

Dog Progesterone Testing

A quantitative progesterone blood test is the single most accurate method for timing breeding's. The test is reported as a numeric result, usually ng/dl. Combined with observing the behavor of the dog and bitch, vaginal cytology, ovulation can be pinpointed with great accuracy in most bitches.

An exact progesterone level is also needed when the dog or bitch will be traveling a long distance for breeding, when fresh chilled or fresh semen is to be used, or when breeding dogs or bitches that have a history of being difficult to breed. In addition, an exact progesterone level for timing ovulation is necessary when a C-section is anticipated or when the bitch is near term and fetal survivablility needs to be assessed.

There are some veterinary clinics that have a high enough volume of progesterone samples that they have purchased equipment (Immulite, Tosoh, or Mini-Vidas) to run quantitative progesterone samples in their veterinary clinics. *We use MicroVet Cube which is comparable to Immulite.

Dog Progesterone Test Interpretation

The canine’s reproductive system is unlike any other species. This is probably the most confusing part of canine reproduction. Many breeders and many veterinarians do not understand the cycle well until they see it graphed. Once you understand that progesterone rises slowly and stays high throughout the cycle.

At the start of the strous cycle, proestrus, the estrogen levels are rising. The hormone of interest, progesterone, of the bitch is at avery low level, less than 2ng/ml. This is often reffered to as “baseline”. During proestrus in a normal bitch that has started estrus spontaneously (without drug or hormone intervention), the first progesterone level should be run on day 5 to day 6 of her cycle.

As the bitch enters estrus, she approaches her fertile period and her progesterone level will rise above 2ng/ml. She will become increasingly attractive to the male and receptive to his advances. This slight rise is often called the initial rise. Its only significance is that you will want to monitor her progesterone levels more closely now as she is about to ovulate. Bitches are only fertile for a few short days during estrus, not the entire time they are in estrus.

As the progesterone rises above 2 ng/ml, continue to draw serial serum samples for testing, usually every 1 to 3 days.

Ovulation is though to occur when the progesterone level reaches 5 ng/ml. This may be the single most important concert regarding breeding in this book. The bitch’s ovary responds to the LH from the pituitary, which allows the release of one egg from each of many multiple mature follicles. 

(NOTE from CanineP4 and MR Diagnostic Services: these reference ranges will change based on the dog progesterone test system you are using. Example: The industry standard immulite 1000 will read much lower on the same dog serum test as say a mini Vidas blue or a Finecare Vet. This is why CanineP4 provides timing charts with each system we sell. these charts are developed from a correlation of dog serum tests of anywhere from 50-100 sample ranging from low to high progesterone values. These charts will tell you where the ovulation values will fall for each system we sell. This is very important to know and important to make sure you use the correct dog progesterone test timing chart that matches the system you us to test with).

(Additional Note from CanineP4: Dr Geer purchased the immulite 1000 her lab uses to run dog progesterone tests from CanineP4 and MR Diagnostic Services. We also provide her service on the immulite 1000.)

But stop: it is too early to breed if you are using fresh chilled or frozen semen. When the bitch ovulates, the eggs are not yet mature and ready to fertilize. Unlike in other species, the eggs mature over the next 48 hours before they are ready to fertilize. The timing of the breeding must occur when the eggs are mature and ready to fertilize and viable semen is in the oviduct, estimating how long the semen is anticipated to survive in the reproductive tract.

Breeding with fresh semen, by either natural breeding or vaginal AI with fresh semen, can be done on the day of ovulation, when the progesterone level reaches 5 ng/ml. Although the eggs are not mature yet, most fresh semen is viable enough to survive in the bitch’s reproductive tract until the eggs are ready.

Breeding with fresh chilled semen should be delayed until approximately 48 hours after ovulation. Fresh chilled semen usually will not survive as long in the reproductive tract as fresh semen. If the fresh semen is deposited vaginally or directly into the uterus 2 days post-ovulation, the eggs should be fertile when the semen appears in the oviduct.

Breeding with frozen semen should be delayed even longer, 60 to 80 hours after ovulation (Ovulation occurs when the progesterone is at a 5 ng/ml). It is thought most frozen semen will only live 12 to 24 hours (or less) in the reproductive tract. For this reason, the semen should arrive in the oviduct when the eggs are mature and ready to fertilize. If necessary to choose, it is better to breed slightly too late than slightly too early. most breedings with frozen semen are done by depositing the semen directly into the uterus, usually by surgical insemination but in some cases by transcervical insemination.

Once the progesterone level is 5 ng/ml we are still not done testing. Although it is believed that ovulation occurs around the time the bitch’s progesterone reaches 5 ng/ml, we still need to keep our eye on one more number; that number is a progesterone level of a 20 ng/ml. To assure that ovulation is complete and the progesterone level is high enough to maintain a pregnancy, delay either the final or the surgical insemination until the progesterone level has reached or exceeded 20 ng/ml.

After ovulation and breeding are completed, the progesterone level will continue to rise. The level typically rises to 40 to 50 ng/ml (the normal range can be 10 to 90) whether the bitch is bred, pregnant, or not. An elevated progesterone level only indicates that the corpus lutea in the ovaries can support a pregnancy, not that the bitch is pregnant. Bitches maintain this level unless that have ovarian or uterine pathology.

*Greer, Marthina. “Chapter 3: Preparing to Breed.” Canine Reproduction and Nenatology. Jackson: Teton NewMedia, 2015. 46+. Print.

Yes! Thousands Of Dog Breeders Do Their Own Dog Progesterone Testing At Their Business Or At Home!

Caninep4 is the leader in home and business dog progesterone testing equipment. Our engineers, customer support, and technical support experts make learning the process easy! We always have your back with ongoing support including a dedicated staff of highly trained and available customer service folks! have helped to provide thousands of breeders and vet with the right equipment for their needs and we are they for them as they start the process of saving a ton of money and time by doing their dog progesterone test in house.

Disclaimer CanineP4 and its staff are not veterinarians but engineers and trained tech support personal with well over 55 years of experience.

Yes! Many Or Our Customers Save Untold Hours And Thousands Of Dollars Doing Their Own In House Testing !

Preforming in house progesterone testing for your dogs will save you time and money in ways you have not thought about. Let me list just a few and see it they fit your work style.

1- Saves many hours of time driving to the vets lab to get a simple progesterone test done. Lets say you have to travel 2 hours round trip (many of our customers use to travel well over that on a regular basics). What does that really cost you?

• Your time at a minimum of $50 an hour would work out to at least $150 that would be 2 hours driving and at least one hour at the testing office.

• Cost of the travel reflected in fuel, and wear and tare on your vehicle (IRS value would be $.585 per mile). Say the two hour trip was 80 miles @ $.585 + $46.8

• Cost of the test at the vet lab. Average cost for a progesterone test nationwide is about $100 per test. Some are a lot more some a bit less.

• Hundreds of extra dollar costs for weekends and holidays. With an in house unit you can test for $9-$18 per test any time you need to!

• The number of times you will need to take the dog in for testing before your have a successful litter. This can be from 1-10 times depending on your breeding style.

• Estimated 5 trips would cost you a minimum of $1489 per litter. This is a very conservative number most are much higher. 5 tests with your in-house progesterone analyzer would be $45 to $90 depending on the unit your use for testing.

  You can see the cost of a in-home progesterone testing machine may be covered in just a few breeding's depending on your situation!

How Much Can I Save With My Own In House Progesterone Testing? Tons! Use The Calculator To See Just How Much!

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