Mixed Breed DNA Testing

Mixed-breed dogs are becoming more common as people are adopting from animal shelters, rescue groups and picking up strays. They're referred to as "mutts" or a "Heinz 57", but what are they really? Mars Veterinary has come up with a test for owners of mixed-breed dogs to determine what exactly makes up their "mutt". Wisdom Panel Professional is considered the "gold standard" in breed detection. Mars states that Wisdom Panel is 90% in identifying the breeds that make up a dog.  They have a DNA database of over 225 AKC registered breeds to help distinguish what your dog is.

What's included in the test?

A sample of blood is taken during a veterinary visit and is sent to Mars for analysis. Once completed, you will recieve a report directly from the company that lists breeds in your dog's ancestry back to their great-grandparents! It also includes descriptions of those breeds, an estimated adult weight for your dog, and flags certain illnesses that the selected breeds are prone to. This by no means says that your dog will come down with these illnesses, but is purely informative. Once you know what makes up your dog, you can better protect thier health and livelihood.  Knowing what breeds your dog has in them may help understanding their personality and training schedule.

What qualifies a dog for testing?

Any dog is qualified for Wisdom Panel!

How does Wisdom Panel break down breed make up?

Wisdom Panel breaks down a dog's genetic make up into significant breed, intermediate breed and minor breed.  At least 50% of your dogs DNA comes from the significant breed. Physical characteristics and behavior characterstics primarily come from this factor. The intermediate breed represents about 25% of your dogs DNA. Some personality traits/physical traits may come from this breed as well. The minor breed represents at least 12.5% and you may see no physical or personality traits.

How accurate is Wisdom Panel Professional?

Wisdom Panel is about 90% accurate in detecting breeds.  Even when testing the same dog twice, the results are, on average, 99% the same.

When do I recieve results?

It takes about a week for the sample to reach the lab at Mars Veterinary. The analysis takes 2-3 weeks before you recieve an e-mailed result.

Are you interested in finding out what's in your mixed breed companion? Ask one of our staff for more information on getting your dog tested.  Once you know what your dog is made of you can better understand your dog!