Ovucheck® Premate is a quick and simple semi-quantitative test, performed at the practice, for the measurement of progesterone from a venous blood sample.

The test allows you to:

1. Plan mating of the bitch at the optimum time/ heat detection
2. Determine the time of whelping of the bitch
3. Investigate the cause of infertility of the bitch
4. Determine if a queen has ovulated.

Bitch:

1. Ovulation leads to a rise in progesterone concentrations. In order to determine the time of ovulation, the first blood samples are taken and tested after the appearance of signs which mark the start of the oestrus (slight losses of blood, acceptance of the male, or characteristic vaginal smear), which corresponds to 6-9 days after the start of pro-oestrus.

Subsequent testing depends upon the baseline result:

If progesterone is low, the bitch is still in pro-oestrus. Re-sample in 2 days

If progesterone concentration is 3 - 10ng/mL, ovulation is imminent. Test again the next day.

If progesterone concentration is high, ovulation has probably taken place. Proceed to mating without any further delay.

In the case of a bitch which has a known history of failed conception, or if you suspect that ovulation is early, it is preferable to start the tests from the pro-oestrus in order to establish basal progesterone levels for further comparison.

For exact progesterone concentrations and, therefore, more accurate timing predictions, we would need to send the blood sample of to an external laboratory.

2. Whelping.

Progesterone levels remain high throughout pregnancy. At the end of gestation, 12-24hours before giving birth, the level of progesterone falls again to reach values of less than 2ng/mL. Thus, progesterone concentrations can be used to predict when parturition is likely to occur.

In order to determine the time of whelping of the bitch:

A progesterone concentration <3ng/mL suggests that the bitch is probably due to whelp within 12-24 hours.

If progesterone concentration is 3 - 10ng/mL the bitch is not due to whelp - test again the next day

If the progesterone concentration is >10ng/mL the bitch is not due to whelp. Whelping will probably not take place before 48hours. Test again in 2 days.

3. Prolonged anoestrus.

If the bitch does not secrete progesterone (concentration <3ng/mL as detected by the PREMATE test) this can be that ovulation has not taken place yet, or that the bitch has not been on heat for the last 2 months.

If the bitch is found to secrete progesterone (3 - 10ng/mL) then either heat has occurred unnoticed or the bitch suffers from ovarian problems. Test again in one month in order to document the duration of high progesterone levels.

 

4. Queen:

Samples should be taken a minimum of 7 days following mating.

If the progesterone concentration is less than 3ng/mL, and mating occurred more than a week ago, then the queen has not ovulated.

If the progesterone concentration is intermediate, then ovulation has occurred after mating and the queen is likely to be pregnant.