Look How Far DNA Testing Has Come in the Last Ten Years for Our Favorite Companions!
In 2007 Canine Heritage offered the first consumer DNA test on the Market. It was able to detect 38 breeds. This resulted in dogs whose background was outside of the 38 breeds being inconclusive. The early tests did, however, give the pet owner some answers to “What breeds are in my pet’s makeup?
Ten years later DNA testing has come a long way. There are now a number of companies you may submit your dog’s DNA to. Here is an example of what they offer:
Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel 3.0 has over 250 breed types in its database. It also now gives you the following information:
- Predicts weight of growing puppies
- Shows three generations of ancestry
- Most important it now testing for multi-drug resistance sensitivity, which is vital, as having that knowledge may save your dog’s life one day.
Wisdom Panel Insights gives in-depth personality and health breakdown of all four grandparents to give you a better understanding of your dog.
- The report you receive will include information on your pet’s aesthetic features
- Helpful hints in choosing training methods for your pet
Embrace delivers a detailed family tree, showing you the genetic history of your dog. This information can perhaps give you a better understanding of your pet’s behavior and medical risks. Plus, it also can be extremely interesting!
- Shows your dog’s wolf percentage
- Sends results to your vet online
- Gives chromosome breakdown by breed.
In 2011 the first “purebred” DNA testing came on the market. Have you wondered if your dog is really a purebred? This test might be for you.
Wisdom Panel – Purebred DNA Test
Wisdom Panel defines Purebred as: when the sire and dam of the dog are members of a recognized breed, and the ancestry consists of the same breed over many generations.
AKC DNA testing is for purebred AKC registerable breed only and is used for identity purposes.
The Future Includes Genetic DNA Testing
Genetic testing is currently in the beginning stages. Most of the tests only check for a single gene defect. However, some diseases are caused by several different genetic mutations. Even when testing for genetic markers this information can indicate the presence or the possibility of the gene-causing disease. With this information, we can monitor the pet for disease signs. Behavior genetics is just in the research field but already has been able to demonstrate the inheritability of certain behaviors such as flank sucking in Dobermans and the herding ability of some breeds. The future of information from diseases to behavior of our favorite companions is limitless.
How much does it cost to DNA Test your dog?
The better dog DNA tests for home-use will range from $50.00 to $200.00. There are less expensive ones on the market. Just remember the more breed types, the more accurate the results will be. When looking at all the different tests on the market, you will need to decide what you want to know and how far back you would like the family tree to go.
