Ask Dr Claire
When is the best time to mate your dog when she starts bleeding, what days is she most fertile?
The times she is most fertile are days 2, 3 and 4 after ovulation. Counting the days post the start of pro-oestrus (when she starts bleeding) is not a reliable indicator of when mating is best to happen to give best chance of success.
There are two ways we routinely check at the clinic to see where the bitch is in her cycle, and then determine when she should be mated:
- Blood progesterone: We measure the level of progesterone to determine where she is in her cycle and when ovulation is likely to happen.
- Vaginal cytology: We look at cells from the vagina under the microscope and make an assessment from there.
If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet on a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail.
We’re on stand-by to help!
Chat soon,
Dr Claire