Dog DNA Testing And How It Works
Just like humans, dogs also have DNA. This supplies information about their genetic makeup. Dog DNA testing is a modern technology that assesses the DNA of the dog to give valuable information about your dog, and its traits.
This test is helpful for dog owners because it reveals their ancestry, medical history, and medical conditions they are prone to. Genetic disorders that are already manifesting or will manifest are detected too. You can find out the reason your dog is acting or looking in a particular way exactly right in your house by knowing its traits. It also comes in handy if you want to breed from your dog.
As much as this sounds very promising, dog owners still have questions about how it works, how accurate it is and the best kits to conduct the tests. Follow through as we exhaust these questions one after the other.
How Dog DNA Testing Works
The Dog DNA test is conducted by using Testing Kits and the dog DNA test sample which can either be saliva or feces. Most of the test kits that use saliva contain a cotton swab that you can use to collect saliva from the cheek of the dog. The collected sample (feces/ saliva) is then placed in a tube and mailed to the laboratory of the test kit company for testing.
After you have mailed the test kit, you must wait for the laboratory to contact you to get the results. Some of them send the results via email while others contact you on the phone. The result you get should give enough information about the genetic make-up of the dog. Although the content of the result from different test kits differs, some would go all the way to give all the information they get from the test. While others would just give specific information.
Uses of Dog DNA Testing
As said above, dog DNA testing determines a lot of things such as the background of the dog, the character that the dog exudes, medical history, and so on. Here’s a list of the things you can discover about your dog through dog DNA tests.
Ancestry or Background of your Dog
The Laboratory of the dog DNA test kits makes use of the information from the test to trace the background and family tree of the dog. With the nucleotide sequence from the DNA results, they can figure out the maternal and paternal genes in the dog’s DNA.
If it’s a mixed breed, the DNA would show the ancestry up to the second or third generation depending on the type of DNA kits used. Through the family tree, you can get other information such as appearance, temperament, and other genetic traits. For example, you trace the aggressiveness of the dog or find out its genetic age, coat color, and eye color.
This process is also used to figure out the breed of the dog. The laboratory of the test kits has a database that consists of 250-300 unique breeds of dogs. So, whilst tracing the ancestry they can figure out the breed too.
Medical history
Some DNA test kits provide health screening for your dog through the test sample. The test kit screens about 150 genetic diseases that your dog may be a carrier of or may be at risk of. It checks the medical history by scrutinizing the health cases found in the ancestry of the dog.
This screening also detects hereditary diseases such as Von Willebrand disease, glaucoma, and muscular dystrophy. Sometimes pure breeds have certain mutations that arise from crossing breeds whose families are close. These mutations are also detected from the dog DNA test.
Knowing the medical history of your dog or the diseases it’s likely to have would make you proactive as a dog owner. You’ll be more conscious of the symptoms that your dog shows so that you can treat or seek a doctor’s help on time.
Determine Dog’s Ideal Lifestyle
A dog DNA test can give you information about your dog’s weight. It can also help you predict your dog’s adult weight especially when it’s still a puppy. Through this, you’re given a range of weight recommendations to show you the exact weight your dog should be to be healthy.
You can also get a nutritional recommendation for your dog’s size in his breed such as the type of nutrients the dog needs to grow. It helps you pick the right diet and supplements for your dog.
Omit, knowing the breed your dog belongs to can help you to curate the ideal lifestyle for the pet. Designing a dog diet and wellness plan that’s consistent with their typical habits helps your pet to grow up in a safe environment.
How Accurate are Dog DNA Tests?
A significant percentage of Dog DNA test manufacturers attest to the fact the results from their tests are accurate. Although genetic experts haven’t given a seal of accuracy on some of these test kits. But a few of them which would be seen shortly have been evaluated and proven to give accurate results up to 95%.
Although there’s anecdotal evidence proving the accuracy of the dog DNA test kits. They got identifiable information such as hair color and breed and then asked the dog owners to confirm them. It turned out that the results tallied with the response of the dog owners. You can get a handful of information when the test is conducted, but the accuracy of the result depends on the testing kits used.
What is the cost of Dog DNA Testing?
The cost of a Dog DNA test depends on the Test kit that you want to use. The cost of Mist of the DNA kit ranges from $60-$150. The ones on the higher side give in-depth information such as health risks and family trees. They also supply added services such as support and counseling to help you understand the results and refer you to a geneticist If there’s a need for it. One thing to note is that being very costly doesn’t guarantee to get accurate results. You must ensure that you’re going for the best option.
Leading DNA Test Kit Brands
The strength of a DNA test is the amount of data it supplies and how correct that data is. The following analysis compares the top dog DNA test kit providers in the country. discusses how they source their data and ensure that test results are correct.
Embark Dog DNA Test
If you have ever researched dog DNA test kits, then there is no doubt that you must have encountered Embark. Indeed, Embark is so highly rated in the dog testing kit venture because of how advanced the tests are. For one, Embark is a research party of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Therefore, by using an Embark test kit, you are getting results based on years of actual scientific research by professors specializing in the field. This enables Embark testing kits to work for over 350 dog breeds and varieties. Also, Embark’s kits can assess over 210 genetic health risks and over 30 physical traits that can help you understand and cater to your dog’s wellness better. Any Embark test kit can also help you build your dog’s family tree and find mystery relatives.
Wisdom Panel
Another dog testing kit brand you should know about is Wisdom Panel. Wisdom Panel lays claim to the world’s largest database of pet breeds with seemingly endless genetic samples. All the data are compiled by having assessed over 3 million pet breeds. Neogen Genomics, the laboratory that Wisdom Panel partners with, receives over 1.5 million test samples yearly.
Like Embark, Wisdom Panel can test for over 350 dog breeds as well as over 200 health traits including eating habits, and disorders. As a result of all these, Wisdom Panel claims that its breed detection system is accurate by over 98%
More so, if, after testing, the results show that there could be a notable health concern, you get a free phone call with licensed veterinarians to answer questions and discuss options.
38Paw
38Paw maintains a partnership with Orivet Pet Care, which provides the former with laboratory services. Orivet is a global brand that analyses more than 1.5 million test samples per year. Therefore, like Wisdom Panel, it maintains a huge database that enables it to conduct accurate testing for over 350 dog breeds. Due to this partnership, 38Paw provides a wide variety of testing services including over 200 health conditions.
More importantly, 38Paw’s dog DNA test results include common diseases relevant to your dog for which genetic testing is not available. This goes a great deal in eliminating blind spots. Not to mention that 38Paw also provides dog owners with nutritional suggestions as well as lifelong healthcare alerts. This is a full-range science-backed and data-driven healthcare provision based on a genetic analysis of your dog.
Other Brands
Embark and Wisdom Panel are the two foremost dog DNA test kit companies, although other brands especially if you are looking for a more budget-friendly option. You must, however, keep in mind that these other brands may have limited and less accurate information on your dog. In any case, if your dog belongs to a common breed, there is a great chance that any of these budget options will work fine for you.
One of these is DNA My Dog, which is mainly for breed identification but it only tests for about a hundred breeds. Also, the breed information is less precise, since it presents dog breeds based on ‘levels’ rather than percentages. However, the service is quick to use and should satisfy many curious dog owners.
Should You Worry About Your Dog’s DNA Test Results?
Indeed, dog DNA tests are fairly accurate. The best DNA tests can be up to 95% accurate. This leaves room for some margin of error, especially for mixed breed dogs. In essence, you shouldn’t let a dog DNA test cause unnecessary worry. Particularly when you get a result that indicates that your dog may be prone to certain health risks.
The first point you should note is that no test is 100% accurate and so there is a chance that the result is wrong and that your dog is safe. However, suppose the result is true. Be grateful that you got to know earlier so that you can enable your dog to live a healthier life.
Indeed, you can manage many health risks in your pet by discussing them with your veterinarian. Discuss proper diet and wellness plans that will enable your pet to live its best regardless of the risks. That your dog may be prone to certain health risks doesn’t mean the disease will develop. Always speak with your vet if you have any concerns about the dog DNA test results you received.
