The Dog Breeding Pre-Mate Test Pads © are:

• Low Cost and effective

• Provide immediate results in approximately one minute                                                  

  • Tells you when the bitch is ready to ovulate and ready to be mated

  "Having had a bitch that was late coming on heat and then in season for 28 days, I had spent $350 on 5 progesterone tests to accomplish the mating ... and then I discovered Dog Breeding Pre-Mate Test Pads and immediately ordered some so I wouldn't have to go through the expense again of having bloods done.  There are other ovulation indicators such as a good stud dog, tissue touch, and colour of blood, etc. which I have written about in my book on dog breeding, but the more positive signs and indications of the actual ovulation day, the better.  If it is an important mating, I still like to rely on the more sure methods that pin-point the ovulation day.   As it normally happens with me, the ovulation day usually falls over a weekend, meaning the blood tests have to be done on Friday and / or Monday and guessing at which day was the ovulation day.  NO MORE !!   Now I can pin point the expected time of ovulation."

  How do they work?
    
  The pads change colour from Pink to Purple/Burgundy during the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge produced by the anterior pituitary gland; this LH surge is normally just 2 - 3 days per season. You can start testing with the pads as early as day 1 of her season.
    
  We suggest an early start in case you have missed a few days of bleeding or colour, or if your bitches have silent seasons. For best results you can test morning and evening, wipe the vulva area clean, open the vulva, and gently place the pad about 1 – 3 cm’s inside, place the pads sideways into the vulva so the pad soaks up vaginal fluid and hold in place for a count of 10 seconds. Do not touch the pink part of the pad; this may lead to a false or incorrect result.  For those who have tried the electronic ovulation meters with the metal probe, you will be happy to know that the pads are not cold and give a far more accurate reading on the LH surge that triggers ovulation.
     
  After 10 to 15 seconds remove the pad and ensure it is soaked with vaginal fluid, wait for 30 to 60 seconds*, if the pad remains pink with no colour change at all, your bitch has not released her LH yet. If the pad starts to turn colour from Pink to Purple/Burgundy even if there is just one small spot or corner change of colour this is a positive result and your bitch's LH has started to surge.  The pad colour change normally lasts for 3 days and the 2nd day is when the LH spike occures.  You can expect that she will ovulate during the next 24 to 48 hours after the LH spike and plan her mating. If left longer than a few minutes the pads will naturally go darker in the air.  Take note of the initial change only. Continue to test your bitch so you know exactly the day of ovulation. From the day of ovulation, the pads will remain pink with no colour change confirming the LH surge has passed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

  Ovulation is triggered by the LH surge which causes the ovaries to release the developing eggs.  The eggs cannot be fertilised upon immediate release from the ovaries. However, normally during the 24 – 72 hour period after the eggs are released they become sperm friendly and are ready to be fertilised.  As a breeder myself I find that my best results come from mating on the day of ovulation and then repeat 24 hour and 48 hours later.  This means mating 3 days in a row from the day of ovulation.  The eggs should still be sperm friendly on the 3rd day after ovulation, but not all females run to the "normal" cycle.  The charts below will help you to understand when to mate your bitch for optimum results.

  Wikipedia provides the two following diagrams on LH in the human reproduction cycle.  Note that in dogs, the LH surge is prior to ovulation.  Although the LH factor has a very close behaviour in humans and canines, LH is specific to each species due to chemical differences between species -- these Pre-Mate Test Pads are specific to dogs.  In other words, the pads only work on dogs and respond to the vaginal fluid.  Human LH testing is done with urine and only works on humans.

  Human LH Graphs

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

  Both Top and Bottom illustrations are for Human LH cycle in relationship to Ovulation

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

  THE CHART FOR REPRODUCTION CYCLE IN DOGS WOULD NORMALLY LOOK LIKE THE FOLLOWING:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

  Note:  Some bitches rise quickly and ovulate 24 hours after the start of the LH surge and some take longer and ovulate 48 to 72 hours after the surge of the LH spike.  The ripening of the eggs is 12 to 96 hours after ovulation. This is when the eggs become sperm friendly.  The ovulation and egg process may only last as long as 24 to 36 hours in some bitches.  Normally it will last 48 to 96 hours.

  The figures for ovulation and follicle rupture are from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Book of Dogs. Please bare in mind that each dog is an individual and that the cycle for your dog may vary from this chart.   A note on the two mating patterns shown in the chart.  If you have an established history of the heat cycles for your dog and a fair degree of confidence as to when the expected ovulation day will be, than mating on the day of ovulation and each of the two or three consecutive days afterward is the optimum mating pattern and should ensure the best litter numbers.   However, if you are in doubt, then mating every other day will "cover the bases".  In a natural mating with a good tie, the male sperm normally lives up to 5 days.  Chilled semen usually lives 24 to 48 hours and frozen semen normally lives up to 12 hours.  It is for this reason that a natural mating will produce the best chance of pregnancy in a dog.  The term normal is used with the meaning that it is the most frequent occurring in the canine world as a whole.  Again, your dog may be normal within itself, but not normal in comparison to other dogs.  It is best when you do not have a reproduction history on a dog to start testing early in the cycle.  The Pre-Mate Test Pads are reacting to the LH surge -- the days marked in green.  Each day is counted as a 24 hours period.  If your girl first shows a change in colour on the pad on the morning of day 12, then 24 hours would be the following morning.  48 hours would be the morning two days from the first change, etc.

  A further note, some "natural ovulation detector dogs" will not mate a girl until the day she ovulates.  LH surges mean nothing to them.  They react to a specific chemical change in the urine when the actual ovulation takes place.  If you happen to have one of these natural ovulation detecting dogs, do not expect them to mate when the pad first turns colour, but rather about 24 to 48 hours later.  This type of dog is great for being able to mate on the day of ovulation and the following two / three consecutive days and will normally produce the best litters possible based on the quality of the sperm and eggs.  
   
  Note: Some bitches can ovulate as early as day 5 and as late as day 21 or even later if the season lasts for 28 days or so.
   
  WARNING! DON'T TOUCH THE PINK PART OF THE PAD, this may affect your results.  Keep unused pads in the re-seal bag they come in and store out of sunlight, preferably in a dark place.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
  
  The only times the pads give missed or false results are when... 
  
  They are not used correctly 
  Your bitch has an illness or infection 
  Your bitch is on medication 
  Your bitch has not ovulated 
  Your bitch has a false or split season

  
  

  Here are some of testimonials we at The Ovulation Pads have received.

  Jackie Chambers
  
  Hi Karen, 
  
  My fabulous, wonderful, noisy little puppy gang arrived on Monday, as I say I thank you for your ovulation pads which helped to make this possible! 
  
  Here are some pics as promised! 
  
  Kindest regards 
  Jackie Chambers