Why Progesterone Testing Is Important for Dog Breeding

August 14, 2018 10:58 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Dog breeding is a complicated business. It’s also one that requires you to be aware of a variety of details about your dog’s health and wellness. One of the most important things you can do is get progesterone testing to understand when it’s best to breed. If you miss this period of time, you may miss out on the best years of a dog’s breeding life—which means a loss of money and fewer wonderful dogs in the world.

Progesterone levels in female dogs spike preceding ovulation. You need to know exactly when the dog is in heat for successful breeding by taking them in for testing at a trusted animal hospital in Phoenix, AZ. Let’s go over some of the basics of progesterone testing:

  • A window of opportunity: While some veterinarians might say that elevated progesterone levels indicate that breeding needs to occur immediately, that’s not necessarily the case. Progesterone increases in a 60-hour window around ovulation, so it may be that progesterone levels are up, but breeding won’t be optimal for another couple of days. Still, this testing lets you know when it’s best for breeding to happen.
  • Two different methods: There are actually two ways to measure progesterone levels, so it’s important to know which one your vet is using. Levels can be measured in ng/mL or nmol/L. When progesterone in the blood reaches levels of 5-6 ng/mL, then ovulation occurs.
  • Number of tests: Unfortunately, it’s difficult to tell progesterone levels based on a single test. Experts recommend that veterinarians complete at least three or four tests to be sure.
  • Not a foolproof sign: In most cases, higher progesterone levels mean the dog will soon go into ovulation. However, this isn’t always the case. In some rare cases, an anovulatory cycle occurs, which means the dog will not ovulate or become pregnant.
  • Estimated day of ovulation: Elevated progesterone levels merely indicate that ovulation will soon occur. So it doesn’t matter if the level is higher, say 20 ng/mL, or extremely high, say 60 ng/mL. Either way, it means the dog is likely near to ovulation and you should begin trying the breeding process.

When you’re looking into progesterone testing for pets, you need a trusted animal hospital in Phoenix, AZ. At Christown Animal Hospital, we do in-house progesterone testing every day. We can have the results for you in just 20 minutes, so set up an appointment today! We’ve been serving our customers for years with fast, friendly and professional service.

Whether you are looking for preventative medicine, surgery, boarding or even grooming and day care, we are equipped to serve you and your pets with compassion and care. We specialize in providing care for cats and dogs, and our surgical expertise spans spay, neuter and dental procedures.

We also host low-cost vaccination clinics to keep pets healthy and happy. As an animal hospital, we are fully equipped to handle emergency services during our normal business hours. Call us today to learn more!

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