HCG Stimulation Test

• Detection of endocrine active tissue of the gonads (ovary, testis).
• Cryptorchidism

serum 2 x 0.5 ml

dog (male/female), stallion:

• first blood collection = baseline value (testosterone: male dog and stallion, oestradiol: female dog)
• injection of 500 IU of HCG (Ovogest®)/dog i.v. respectively 5000 - 10000 IU/horse i.v. .
• second sample after 1 hour = stimulation value
• (dog: perhaps additional sample after 30 minutes

• first blood collection = baseline value (testosterone)
• injection of 250 IU of HCG (Ovogest®)/animal i.m.
• second sample after 1 hour = stimulation value

• first blood collection = baseline value (progesterone)
• injection of 250 IU of HCG (Ovogest®)/animal i.m.
• second sample after 5 – 7 days = stimulation value

dog, cat, horse: testosterone (male) or oestradiol (female)
rabbit: testosterone (male) or progesterone (female)

dog, cat, rabbit, horse

1 day

• In most cases, the determination of the AMH level (see category Endocrinology / Tumour Markers) provides comparable information.
• male dog: post-stimulation testosterone concentrations > 1.0 ng/ml indicate that there is testicular tissue.
• stallion: Testosterone concentrations between 0.05 and 0.1 ng/ml after stimulation are considered as borderline and need further clarification – e.g. by determining the anti-Müllerian hormone. Higher values indicate the existence of testicular tissue.
• rabbit: Stimulation values of > 1 ng/ml of testosterone or > 4 ng/ml of progesterone indicate hormone-producing tissue.

• The HCG Stimulation Test (as well as the GnRH Stimulation Test with the test number 2281) can be used to detect endocrine active ovarian tissue / ovarian remnant syndrome in female dogs. It is a determination of oestardiol. The stimulation of oestradiol secretion is strongly dependent on the cycle status. Significant increases in concentration are expected in the oestrus and late anoestrus.
• The HCG stimulation test can also be carried out on male donkeys.