When is my dog most fertile?

When is my dog most fertile?

For most females, the best time for breeding is between the tenth and fourteenth day of estrus. However, some females ovulate as early as the third or fourth day or as late as the eighteenth day. Blood tests or vaginal cytology will assist in determining the best period for your dog.

How many days does ovulation last in dogs?

Proestrus starts when the bitch shows her first signs of heat: swelling of the vulva, a blood-tinged vaginal discharge, and attractiveness to male dogs. During this time her estrogen level is rising, and her body is preparing for ovulation. This period lasts 9 days on average, with a range of 2 – 22 days.

What is the most reliable predictor of ovulation in dogs?

The ‘BEST’ ovulation timing combines vaginal cytology, vaginoscopy, serum progesterone concentrations, and sometimes serum LH testing. This should be completed by your veterinarian.

Why is ovulation timing so important for dogs?

However, with human intervention in the form of limited schedules and/or compromised semen (chilled, frozen, or subfertile male), or if the dogs’ behavior and cycle do not match, ovulation timing is critical to enhance conception.

How can you tell when a dog is ovulating?

The blood progesterone level is the number one way to accurately determine the optimum timing of copulation. In dogs, the ovaries start releasing progesterone 48 hours prior to ovulation. Ovulation is associated with a rapid increase in blood progesterone. This can be measured by taking serial blood samples from the bitch by the veterinarian.

How often should you test a dog for ovulation?

Your veterinarian can obtain a small blood sample from the bitch every 1-2 days as she is nearing ovulation and have it tested for progesterone concentration by a qualified commercial laboratory. The first rise of progesterone above 2 ng/ml correlates with the day of the LH surge.

Which is the best Test to test for ovulation?

The ‘BEST’ ovulation timing combines vaginal cytology, vaginoscopy, serum progesterone concentrations, and sometimes serum LH testing. This should be completed by your veterinarian. Precise ovarian ultrasound techniques can be used to visualize ovulation but require up to 3 examinations daily during the period of ovulation.

Is there a way to increase ovulation timing in dogs?

If managed properly, dogs can be acceptably fertile with much lower counts and quality. As semen quality decreases, the precision of ovulation timing needs to increase. Ovulation timing precision is increased by more frequent progesterone levels and adding LH testing for the most compromised semen.

Is it possible to detect ovulation in a dog?

Detecting Ovulation in Dogs, and the Fertile Period in the Bitch. Yes, you can take your girl several times to your veterinarian for blood tests (usually of progesterone) that will help you pinpoint the best day for mating – but this is expensive and time consuming.

When does a dog’s fertile period start after ovulation?

Dogs go through a further maturation phase post ovulation so their optimum fertile period is Days 4 through Day 6 and post LH surge. Additionally, the LH surge can be less than 24 hours or as long as 48 hours, so without daily blood testing, the LH surge can be easily missed.

How long does it take a dog to ovulate after LH surge?

This is because a surge of LH triggers ovulation, typically 2 days after the surge. The eggs require two to three more days to mature and live for four to seven days thereafter. Thus, the bitch’s fertile period falls between four to seven days after the LH surge, with the most fertile days being five and six.