Member to Member: PetTech’s Dog Ovulation Detector Reviewed by 10-Year CKC Member

Is it too good to be true? That’s what CKC member breeder, Brandy Wells, thought when she learned about the Draminski Dog Ovulation Detector. So, this 10-year member put it to the test for an entire year – including comparisons with traditional progesterone testing.

CKC Member Shares Her Experience

CKC member Brandy Wells of MBM Bulldogs shares her experience (and some puppy pictures) using the Draminski Dog Ovulation Detector from PetTech Solutions.

“We breed English Bulldogs and purchased the Dog Ovulation Detector almost a year ago, from PetTech Solutions, and we love it. It was the best investment that we could have made for our breeding program.

We were looking for an alternative to progesterone testing as the tests were getting costly and depending on the girl we were doing 4-7 tests in a heat cycle. While doing some research online we came across the Dog Ovulation Detector which seemed too good to be true. We discussed it and decided that we had done more than enough progesterone tests and that it was worth giving it a try as we had nothing to lose.

We purchased the Dog Ovulation Detector with some skepticism as to whether it would actually work or not. We decided that we were going to use the Ovulation Detector in conjunction with progesterone tests and compare the end results just to put our own minds at ease.

Our first girl came into heat and we used the probe just as the manual had said and we charted the numbers. We would take her number just prior to going to bed at night and every morning first thing when we got up. We took her number one night and her number was still going up, when we woke the next morning her number had dropped drastically. She had peaked that night. So according to what we were reading and understanding from the instructions, optimal breeding would be within 24-48 hours, so we bred her right around the 48-hour mark. However, being skeptical we also did progesterone testing and low and behold the results aligned completely with the Dog Ovulation Detector.

We have now bred four girls in our breeding program using the Dog Ovulation Detector and have had four successful pregnancies! We compared three of them to progesterone tests and all three of them lined up with the test results. The fourth fell over Christmas when we could not have a progesterone test done, so we put our faith solely in the Ovulation Detector and just confirmed that she is pregnant. 

We are so happy with our decision to purchase the Dog Ovulation Detector as it is convenient, and affordable and so easy to use. Our girl over Christmas would have been missed completely if it wasn’t for the convenience of the Ovulation Detector at home. We have full faith in the Dog Ovulation Detector going forward and would recommend it to any breeder.”

Brandy Wells, MBM Bulldogs                              

Advice for CKC Members:

What is the most valuable lesson that Brandy learned during her first year with the Dog Ovulation Detector? Technique is critical for getting the most out of this breeding tool. PetTech President, Karen Abbott, has put together 5 key tips to master the technique for easy and effective ovulation cycle monitoring.
PetTech’s Breeder Best Practices for the Draminski Dog Ovulation Detector:

For the first couple of heat cycles, corroborate the Ovulation Detector results with progesterone tests or other tests which you've found to be reliable.

1. When taking daily measurements, ensure that you test at the same time of day for each reading.
2. The probe on the detector has been designed for use with all breed types and sizes. For safe and comfortable use, it is essential to read the User Manual, specifically pages 6 to 8, regarding the following:
   1. Find the proper depth to insert the probe up to the cervical mucous (the area where you will find slight resistance inserting the probe).
   2. Insert the probe at a comfortable angle, being approximately the 11 o’clock direction on a clock face (imagine the male entering the bitch coming up to her from underneath at an angle).
   3. Take readings in the same position in the vagina for each test. This is essential for reliable results.
3. Record and get familiar with the unique readings for each bitch to observe the trend and note the highest peak reading. We suggest doing this for a few ovulation cycles to understand the range of values.
4. Clean and disinfect the probe before and after each use. Residue on the probe sensor, including urine or oil from your skin, leads to inaccurate results.