Predicting ovulation

Re: Predicting ovulation

Rob Loxley — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:00:36 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]Mainly SBT's. Because of the economic climate more are being dumped and fewer are being re homed. [/quote]

And is there an effect of neutering labradors on the number of staffs needing new homes?

Re: Predicting ovulation

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:22:45 GMT

Some breeders use the Idexx service and pay the lab directly. If the breeder rings the lab, they will post out 3 blood tubes and packaging and instructions. Breeder takes dog to vet for blood sample (which you take and charge for your effort) and that's your job done without follow-up phone calls etc. Owner posts away in provided next-day delivery envelope with a cheque for £28.20 I think per sample and gets a phone call the next day with interpretation of their quantitative progesterone assay.

Re: Predicting ovulation

Clive Ansell — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:28:24 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Burston"]

A client is keen to breed her 3yo female Labrador and is keen to do everything properly.

What do people recommend?

[/quote]

Persuade them to get it speyed.

There are far too many unwanted dogs around, with rescue centres bursting at the seams. One of my regular practices does the work for a local charity where they are euthanasing healthy dogs at the moment just because there are too many and nowhere for them to go. Mainly SBT's. Because of the economic climate more are being dumped and fewer are being re homed.

Re: Predicting ovulation

Rob Loxley — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:19:19 GMT

The reproduction webinar from Virbac covered this well: http://thewebinarvet.com/virbac-webinars/

Re: Predicting ovulation

Malcolm Ness — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:13:30 GMT

We have a Reproduction, fertility and assisted breeding practice headed by my colleague Louise McLean. There is some relevant info at the web-site (www croft-reproduction.co.uk) and Louise is always happy to talk to vets in practice - 0191 250 3800

Re: Predicting ovulation

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:47:29 GMT

I do progesterone tests, normally start 7-10 days from start of proestrus depending on breeder's experience with the bitch, I have an interpretation chart somewhere but the lab suggests date of next test and/or timing of mating, seems to work well. We use Axiom for this as we have a courier who collects the blood midday and the result is ready within 4 hours - works well. I've never used the kits and I'm not too happy with reliability of vaginal smears although I used them in the past when laboratory progesterone testing wasn't so easily available.

Re: Predicting ovulation

Niall Taylor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:26:17 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]The problem with the test kit commercially, is that you have to buy a number of kits when you might only need to do one or two tests...[/quote]

Sorry, I seem to have suggested my own answer, don't know how that happened, honestly I'm not that vain!

One thing I forgot to mention is that the colour changes in test kits can be extremely subtle - you need to get the light and the background exactly right when you're looking at them. Not too reliable IMHO.

Niall

Re: Predicting ovulation

Niall Taylor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:21:37 GMT

The problem with the test kit commercially, is that you have to buy a number of kits when you might only need to do one or two tests. The remainder then sit on the shelf until they go out of date so the practice loses money. Presumably this is why your boss is reluctant to get any tests in if there isn't much demand.

Some external laboratories (CSL is one I think) promise a next day result service on a blood sample so that is an option but some owners won't wait even 24hrs.

My preferred technique is vaginal cytology - saline soaked swab rolled around vaginal mucous membrane, rolled onto a couple of clean slides, air dried then diff-quick stained. Depending on the ratio of keratinised to non-keratinised epithelial cells you can get a good idea of whether the bitch is ready to mate.

You need to warn the owner that they may be looking at several tests before the time is right so they may be looking at repeat charges, could cost upwards of £100.00 in some cases depending on stage/price/frequency etc. Before you have too many major twinges of conscience though just remember that a single Lab pup can sell for anything from £500.00 to £1k

If they are breeders then they are operating a commercial enterprise so have no qualms about charging appropriately

Cheers,

Niall

Re: Predicting ovulation

Mark Holmes — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:21:16 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Burston"]

A client is keen to breed her 3yo female labrador and is keen to do everything properly.

She asked me today about using blood sampling to predict ovulation and the most fertile period. I've never advised on this kind of thing before, my boss recommends just presenting her to the dog 7-10 days after signs of pro-oestrus and allowing them to mate 3 times, 48 hours apart.

What do people recommend?

Thanks

[/quote]

I have found that the success rate with the ovulation bloods seems to be much lower than if you just let the bitch out to get on with it herself.

I usually suggest trying with the dog every couple of days. If the intended stud is some distance away I will often suggest using any dog to tease her (with both dogs under close control) and when she stands whisking her away then. My bitch would stands and flag if the dog was on the other side of a solid oak door.

The bloods are ok but not a patch on nature.

Re: Predicting ovulation

Claire Godfrey — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:21:09 GMT

Sorry didn't make clear above, send to Idexx

Re: Predicting ovulation

Claire Godfrey — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:20:30 GMT

You can test for progesterone levels, think its from day 9 in season.

Will give a guidline on mating times, may advise re blood sampling in 2 days time (worth warning the owner!).

There are in house kits, but wasn't keen, you have to look at the colour change and not always sure which shade to go for!

Re: Predicting ovulation

Julian Earl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:18:06 GMT

The best time to mate is 11-13 days after the start of vaginal bleeding as several bitches persistently bleed after ovulating.

If you're using Premate* then it is unnecessary to do this more frequently than every other day but it's not a cheap test. What you cannot do though is rely ona single test that says "imminent" - they can remain "imminent" for several days so you should test until they have ovulated. But, like I said, it's not cheap.

*There is another brand now that is considerably cheaper but I have no experience of it; it may be as good or better, I don't know.