premate progestrone test - Page 2

The tests from Camelot Farms are extremely accurate--in my experience. I have never used these tests with an outside female and one of my males where the bitch has failed to conceive.

These tests are "qualitative" (comparison of colors in the test wells of the sample serum with controls for high and low progesterone) rather than "quantitative" (yielding numerical results). Depending on the results, I usually do the tests from 2-4 times per bitch.

I rely on the tests because I can draw the blood here at home and don't have to worry about driving to a vet or whether the vet is open. I allow the dogs to breed once a day as long as the bitch is in standing heat--usually shortly before, during, and after ovulation.

We typically run 5 to 7 progesterone test with an occasional smear, particularly when taking females to Europe to be bred.  You be surpised at how long the rise from 2 to 5 can be and it appears that traveling can slow that down.    I also like to have a pretty good estimate at when the female hit 5 and ovulated.  Once in ovulation, there's no way to stop it.  I much prefer quantitative over qualitative.    Perhaps I would think differently if I was the stud dog owner bringing in outside females for a short period of time and breeding daily. 

Karla

I am thinking of using Premate from Camelot Farm next time I want to breed a bitch.  My vet charges way too much at $96.00 for prog test.

I have just mated a bitch and did a prog test on day 13 - result was 2ng. retested on day 20 - result was 10ng

Took her to the stud on day 22 and she was HOT to Trot, Ready to go.

Now  she is day 27 my boy (who has never been used) is trying to tell me she is ready now. I am hoping that he is just confused.

When I contacted Camelot Farm a few days ago they said that I would needed a centifuge to use the test .

Is that correct?

dogshome9: When I contacted Camelot Farm a few days ago they said that I would needed a centifuge to use the test .

No, while it would be nice to have, no centrifuge is needed.  Of course, they will gladly sell you a used, reconditioned one!

I draw blood with a 1 ml TB syringe and a 25 g. needle. I find that using this size syringe permits me to draw blood easily without having a second person to hold off a vein or using a tourniquet. Because the syringe closely approximates the size of the cephalic vein, the syringe tends to fill by capillary action with virtually no need to aspirate.

Next, I remove the needle from the syringe (to prevent hemolysis of the blood and release of premature clotting factors) before I squirt the blood into a small, plastic test tube (which I wash and clean for reuse). I set the test tube upright in a shot glass while the blood clots (sometimes, it may take a couple of hours).

Then, I aspirate the serum from the top of the clot with one of the droppers supplied with the kit. Only one drop of serum (dispensed into a small plastic well) is needed for the test. Doesn't matter if it is somewhat hemolyzed.

Sometimes, while the blood is clotting, I may leave it in the test tube for several hours and come back to it at my convenience.

The rest of the test is following "cookbook" instructions.

The beauty of this test is its in-home use and that it may be done at any hour. No need drive to the vet for him to send off blood to a lab for next day results.

I test multiple times as well. Fortunately I have a vet who just bought the necessary equipment to run lab quality tests in his office for about $50 a test.

So, what, now we jump up people behinds around here for doing things the right way? Too funny.

Good luck with your bitch, bobby.

Bobby   We use hutchenson clinic in Ohio and all we do is draw blood and send it overnite and get the results the next day. I think it cost 55.00 plus 20.00 for shipping and they can tell yo exactly where she is on her heat cycle. Most vets use a kit that isn't as accurate and  does needs to test at least twice to compair. Good luck with your breeding and hope this helps