What a crucial, time consuming & expensive component part of breeding IF using frozen/chilled semen for a breeding. Well, Woody has been gone quite awhile now so frozen semen is our only choice. In order for any chance of getting puppies, Sparta's progestone levels must be perfect. The first blood draw was done on her first day of her heat cycle for a baseline. We headed to the reproduction specialist in Littleton. We can get same day results & hers came back at <0.2. She must hit over 5.0 to show she's hit her LH surge. Next draw is 6 days later & she's exactly the same. 3 days later another draw, same again! OK, obviously she's taking her time. Not my call right :-) 4th draw 2 days later, this time I take her to my other repro. vet in Fort Collins. I need to verify that something wasn't up. Results come back <0.4. Barely a change. 2 days later is 1.7. Getting somewhere finally. 2 days later she hits 5.7....awesome! She has ovulated, thank goodness! The vet wants me to do one more 2 days later to make sure she gets over 10. 10+ means eggs are ready to be fertilized. So Friday, she is 13.7, perfect!! She will have her artifical insemniation done the next day, Sat 5/4/13. I never dreamed I would spend so much on her progesterone tests, let alone have to test 7 times! She was pretty used to our trips to get her blood drawn & was a perfect patient!