Progesterone Testing & Vaginal Cytology Testing

There is a lot to do when planning a litter, and the disappointment when all your efforts to get your girl bred only results in no pregnancy is real. When both the sire and dam have been vet checked and deemed healthy enough to breed, the most common reason for bitches failing to become pregnant is mistiming.

A progesterone blood test & vaginal cytology are the most accurate tool for predicting the best time to breed. While mother nature knows a lot, and the bitch's signals should never be ignored, not taking advantage of the technology available with progesterone & vaginal cytology testing is a big mistake. It can be inconvenient and/or not possible to make several visits to the vet during regular office hours. Here at Kountryrusfrenchies, we have failed to get girls pregnant because of this.

Besides giving the best shot at pregnancy, reverse progesterone testing is also necessary should a C-section be needed, or when the bitch is close to term and survival of the puppies — even the bitch herself — might be in question. Dogs do not have a two-week window for safe delivery as humans do.

There are four stages of the female dog's cycle: proestrus, estrus, diaestrus and anestrus. The estrus stage, which lasts from 3–21 days with an average of nine, is when the bitch is fertile.

Pay careful attention to signs that your bitch is coming into season. Look for vulval swelling and any discharge. The first progesterone test should be done 2 or 3 days from this point to establish a baseline. If the number is very low, you might wait a few days before the next test, but once it starts moving up it should be tested every other day. One test is not enough, and some bitches reach the ideal number sooner or later than others. Once the level begins to rise steadily, your vet may be able to predict the right day to breed.