Management of apparent luteal insufficiency in a bitch

Serum progesterone concentration in a pregnant bitch with suspected luteal insufficiency was monitored by use of a commercially available ELISA kit, and exogenous progesterone was administered as needed to enable the bitch to deliver normal-term pups. Progesterone in oil was administered at a dosage of 2 mg/kg of body weight at 72-hour intervals. The bitch delivered 2 clinically normal male pups and 1 mummified female pup within 12 hours after the exogenous progesterone was calculated to have been metabolized.