Why is it necessary to wait at least one hour to run the sample?
The viscosity of the sample changes with time. The lower the viscosity the faster it runs on the cassette. We optimized the test to run with samples that are between one hour and 2 days old. To make sure the sample follows our standard curve, it needs to be at least one hour old.
What does it mean when we state that the test results correspond to the free (active) progesterone present in sera?
Progesterone in the blood is present as a free circulating molecule or as a protein bound molecule.
The free progesterone is the biologically active progesterone, which means that is the progesterone responsible for the mare’s cycle and reproduction.
Equine Quick P4 test detects only the biologically active progesterone in a plasma sample.
What is the minimum progesterone level to maintain pregnancy?
The minimum safe level to maintain pregnancy is ≥ 4ng/mL.
Why am I getting a progesterone concentration of 1-3ng/ml if the mare is pregnant?
<1ng/ml of progesterone indicates a progesterone-deficient mare. Mares with progesterone concentrations below 4 may be at increased risk of pregnancy loss.
When should I test progesterone to monitor pregnancy?
To determine if progesterone levels are adequate to maintain pregnancy, you need to test a plasma sample 12-14 days after ovulation. Retest at various intervals during pregnancy to ensure adequate progesterone levels are being maintained.
When should I test for pregnancy determination?
To detect pregnancy, test 21-23 days after breeding. The progesterone concentration should be ≥5ng/mL.
Note: Quick P4 indicates the presence of progesterone, not specifically pregnancy. A positive indication of pregnancy should be confirmed by palpation or ultrasound.
What are some factors that can lead to inaccurate results?
- • More than one drop of sample is added to the cassette.
• Adding less than 3 drops of Dropper Bottle B solution. If less than 3 drops of buffer are added - there will not be enough buffer to run the sample through the membrane. The Test and Control Line may then not develop correctly causing the test to become invalid.
How do I know if something went wrong when running the test?
- • Control line is not visible.
• Lines are faint or not exiting.
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Note: If you are not sure about the results you can do the following: Take a picture of the cassette and then call or email TargetVet/ Biometallics ASAP - we will be happy to offer assistance.
What is the sensitivity and specificity of the Equine Quick P4 Test?
Sensitivity for Equine Quick P4 is 93.5% and specificity 95.2% based on our analysis of 72 mare samples.
TargetVet/ BioMetallics has two tests that measure Equine Progesterone. How do I know which test is better for me to utilize?
TargetVet/Biometallics sells two tests that measures Equine Progesterone: Target Equine Progesterone and Equine Quick P4.
The Target Equine Progesterone test kit is a semi-quantitative test showing various shades of blue to white indicating a range of 0 to 5 ng/mL.
You need to take a serum or plasma sample from the animal to run the test.
Pregnancy should be maintained at levels >3 ng/mL. This is a faint blue to white result on the Target Equine test.
The kit is sold in either 6 or 12 test quantities. This kit should meet your needs for determining if supplementing is necessary during pregnancy.
We also sell an Equine Quick P4 test kit which is a Lateral flow test and requires a cube reader to give a numerical result ranging from 0 to 35ng/mL.
We have three different kits for horses that can be used with the cube reader - IgG, progesterone, and SAA. The cube reader is a one-time buy. After that, the kits come as a refill in 5, 10, or 15 test sizes. The IgG and SAA also come in a semi-quantitative “Visual” configuration with a chart of ranges for the T & C lines for customers who prefer not to buy a cube reader.
Our recommendation is that if you run multiple tests and prefer numerical results, the cube reader is the best choice.
If you only need a few progesterone tests (or IgG or SAA), the TARGET progesterone or VISUAL IgG or SAA is the best choice.
We hope this information helps in your decision - making process regarding which of our kits to buy. Feel free to contact us for more information if needed.
What is the recommended shipping and storage?
All kits are sent with 2-day shipping which does not require ice or special packaging. However, customers should refrigerate the kits upon receiving them to maintain the 1-year shelf life.
Which tube do I use to collect sample?
Collect the blood sample into a purple EDTA or heparin coated tube for plasma or red top tube for serum. Do NOT use gel separator type tubes.
Can I use whole blood to run the test?
No, whole blood would clog the test and you would not get any blue color or you could have a splash of blue instead of a nice blue dot.
Do I need a centrifuge to get a plasma or serum sample?
You could either spin the blood down with a centrifuge for 10 min at 2500rmp, or allow the blood to clot at room temperature for ½-1hr or until clear serum collects in the top of the tube.
Why am I getting two shades of blue in the same test?
Poor washing, poor sample quality (sample is hemolyzed or lipemic).
How to interpret Target Color Results
Always use the majority of the spot color in order to rate the color result. A darker blue around the edge is due to poor washing (washing around edges is always more difficult). Accurate results require good quality samples (straw-colored) sera/plasma. Target canine should be read at 9 min. After 9 min, it could become darker blue or gray.
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Note: If you are not sure about the results or have problems comparing the test color intensities with the Results Interpretation Table – you can do take a picture of the cup and then call or email TargetVet/ BioMetallics ASAP - we will be happy to offer you more support.
Can I use the Target Canine Ovulation kit to test Equine progesterone?
No. The Target Canine Ovulation Kit is optimized for dogs only. We also sell a Target Equine Ovulation Kit - specific for horses.
What are the differences between the canine and equine target tests?
The differences between the Canine and Equine Target tests are listed below:
1. Interpretation Color Chart corresponds to different Progesterone concentrations.
Equine
- • Bright Blue (C1) is 0-1ng/mL
- • Light Blue (C2) is 1-2ng/mL
- • Faint Blue (C3) is 2.1-5 ng/mL
- • White (C4) is >5 ng/mL
Canine
- • Bright Blue (C1) is1ng/mL
- • Light Blue (C2) is 1-3ng/mL
- • Faint Blue (C3) is 3-10ng/mL
- • White (C4) is >10ng/mL
If an equine customer wants to monitor pregnancy, a C3 (3-5ng/mL) or a C4 (>5ng/mL) color makes a big difference. If the test results in a C3 color, the mare will need supplements to maintain pregnancy but if a C4 color is shown, then the pregnancy is maintained, and no supplementation is necessary. If the Canine test was tried to test an equine sample, the results will not identify the difference between 3-5 and >5 ng/ml due to the fact that on the canine test they only see a C3 color.
2. Equine and Canine samples have different viscosities (thickness).
Canine samples are less viscous than equine samples. Hence, the two samples behave differently on how they flow on the test surface. TargetVet/BioMetallics optimized the equine progesterone test using equine samples to get the correct blue color. We use only canine samples to optimize the Target Canine.
3. Time. The equine test is read at 7 minutes. The canine test is read at 9 minutes.
If interested - The Equine Target test is sold either in 6 or 12 test packages. See our website store for more details.
