Frankie The Law Dog

Should You Have Genetic Testing Done on Your Mixed Breed Dog?

So you’ve adopted a cute little mutt from the local animal shelter.  Wonderful!  You’ve not only saved a life, you’ve also robbed a puppy mill of profit by adopting rather than purchasing a dog from a pet shop.

You think your new family member might be a Golden Retriever crossed with a German Shepherd, with perhaps a little Boxer tossed in.  Many people who adopt mixed breed dogs are turning to DNA test kits to try and determine the genetic heritage of their dogs.

Why Have Dog DNA Testing Done?

Certain dog breeds may be prone to specific health problems.  If the owner knows the dog’s ancestry, perhaps measures can be taken to ensure the dog a longer, healthier life.

DNA Testing May Explain Some of Your Dog's Behaviors

Additionally, some behavioral traits are breed-specific.  DNA testing may help explain some behaviors in your dog, such as digging, herding and barking.  Knowing your dog’s genetic background may help with fashioning the best routine for training, exercise and discipline.

Finally, finding out your dog’s genetic ancestry may have other consequences, for better or worse.  An example is a recent story from Salina, Kansas about a woman whose mixed breed dog was picked up by animal control officers after it got loose.  The dog appeared to have a lot of pit bull in its ancestry.  Since 2005, the town has banned the unregistered ownership of pit bulls and mixed breeds that are predominantly pit bulls.

DNA testing proved that the dog was not predominantly pit bull, and the owner was permitted to keep her dog.  Of course, DNA testing could very well lead to the opposite outcome if it proves a dog is predominantly a banned breed.

What Dog DNA Tests are Available?

There are at least three main dog DNA tests on the market.  One test offers blood based DNA sampling that is performed by your veterinarian; the others offer at-home cheek swab sampling that you send back and await the results.

Wisdom Panel™ MX

Wisdom Panel™ MX by Mars Veterinary™ offers:

• Blood based DNA sampling conducted by a veterinarian.
• Analyzes DNA back to the dog’s great-grandparent level.
• Tests for at least 157 breeds.
• Consumers receive results in two to three weeks.
• Cost is about $120 to $170 per dog.

Wisdom Panel™ Insights is another product offered by Mars Veterinary™.  This DNA kit features:

• Do-it-yourself cheek swab DNA test kit.
• Tests for more than 170 breeds, “the largest database on the market,” according to company advertising.
• Consumers receive results in approximately three weeks.
• Cost is about $80 per dog.

Canine Heritage® Breed Test

The Canine Heritage® Breed Test consists of:

• Do-it-yourself cheek swab DNA test kit.
• Tests for approximately 108 breeds.
• Consumers receive a Certificate of DNA Breed Analysis listing the dog’s primary, secondary and “in the mix” breeds.
• Consumers receive test results in four to six weeks.
• Cost is $100 to $120 per dog.

BioPet DNA Dog Breed Identification

BioPet DNA Dog Breed Identification kits from BioPet Vet Lab feature:

Several Dog DNA Tests are Available

• Do-it-yourself cheek swab DNA test kit.
• Tests for 62 breeds.
• Issues results of detected breeds in decreasing order.
• Consumers receive results in about two weeks.
• Cost is about $60 per dog.

What to Expect from Dog DNA Testing

The science of genetics is complex.  The fact that your mixed breed dog appears to have characteristics of a certain breed does not necessarily mean that breed is predominant in your dog.  Most of the DNA test kits do not test to determine if your dog is a purebred.

If numerous generations of your mixed breed dog’s ancestors were also mixed breed dogs (that is, if your dog has no recent pedigree ancestors), the results of the DNA test may be inconclusive.  Additionally, the DNA tests available on the market test for a limited number of recognized breeds.  If your dog’s ancestry is predominantly from a breed that is not included in the test, your results will be inconclusive.

Although there might be sound reasons for wanting to know your dog’s genetic heritage, in the end, you may not be able to find out with any degree of certainty.  Moreover, if you have concerns about your dog’s health issues or behavior, the best place to start is by discussing those concerns with your veterinarian.

Saturday, September 19 has been set aside as Puppy Mill Awareness Day, and events are planned in England, Ireland and across the United States to draw attention to the plight of animals who are victims of puppy mill abuses.

Puppy Mills are a Growing Problem Everywhere

Puppy mills (called puppy farms in some countries) are a growing problem.  The profits associated with breeding large numbers of popular dog breeds are too tempting for some unscrupulous and greedy people to resist.  The ASPCA defines a puppy mill as a “large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs.”

The Focus is on Profit at Puppy Mills

Because the focus at puppy mills is on profit, little care is given to producing healthy puppies.  Rather, the emphasis is on producing quantities of puppies, regardless of the problems involved.  As a result, puppy mill dogs are over-bred and inbred, leading to genetic abnormalities and a range of health problems.

Moreover, breeding dogs are often subjected to lives of constant captivity in small, unsanitary, crowded cages without access to adequate food, water, exercise or veterinary care.

Puppy Mills do not Produce Healthy Puppies Like Daisy

Puppy mill dogs usually end up in pet stores.  According to the ASPCA, these dogs are sold through brokers when they are as young as eight weeks of age.  Furthermore, the “lineage records of puppy mill dogs are often falsified.”  Thus, the unwary consumer is not getting what he or she pays for.

Puppy Mill Laws:  Anti-Puppy Mill Legislation

Many states across the USA are attempting, with mixed success, to put legislation in place to prevent some of the worst abuses of puppy mills.  And with the assistance of groups like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States and their local affiliates, law enforcement agencies are stepping up raids on puppy mills.

Puppy Mill Awareness Day

Although some progress is being made in the fight against puppy mills, the problem persists.  For instance, concerns remain about whether new anti-puppy mill laws can or will be enforced.

And if consumers remain ignorant about the living horror that is a puppy mill, they will continue to inadvertently support puppy mills by purchasing dogs from pet stores.  That is why events such as those associated with Puppy Mill Awareness Day are so important.  The best way to put puppy mills out of business is to educate the public.

Some Dog Breeds are Prone to Skin Sensitivities

Some dog breeds just seem to have sensitive skin.  All breeds of dogs (including mutts) can have skin problems.  But Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and some breeds of hairless dogs are particularly known for skin problems, including hot spots, allergic reactions and eczema.

A friend recently told me about problems her otherwise healthy Scottish Terrier has developed.  Poor Scottie is scratching all the time and has developed patches of dry skin and “doggie dandruff.”

It turns out, these problems arose immediately after Scottie’s most recent grooming and hair cut.  It seems my friend took Scottie to a different groomer this time, and she could not be sure what products they used for Scottie’s grooming.

Skin Problems Resulting from a Reaction to Grooming Products

It could be that Scottie has experienced a bad reaction to the shampoo the groomer used.  Unless you specifically ask for something different, groomers often use soap-based shampoos.  These tend to irritate the skin of dogs that are prone to skin sensitivities.

Being a Labrador Retriever mix, Frankie has had his share of skin problems similar to the ones Scottie is experiencing.  He would get dry, scaly patches on his skin that he would scratch.  With all the scratching, he often had the “doggie dandruff” as well.  Even when those symptoms were not obvious, he would sometimes flinch when we tried to brush certain areas on his back.  It was clear that something was irritating Frankie’s skin and causing him a lot of discomfort.

Hypo-Allergenic Dog Grooming Products are Best

Our veterinarian recommended we avoid any soap or detergent based shampoos and use only hypo-allergenic products on Frankie’s skin and coat.  We switched to an oatmeal-based shampoo containing fatty acids.  We follow that up with a skin and coat conditioner containing colloidal oatmeal.  We avoid bathing Frankie unless he really needs a bath – usually every other week.  And on those rare occasions when Frankie visits a grooming salon, we specify an oatmeal-based shampoo and conditioner.

For regular baths, we use GlenHaven brand products, which are available only through Banfield Pet Hospitals; however, there are many other soap-free dog shampoos and conditioners on the market.  In addition to soap, it is also a good idea to avoid grooming products that contain added colors and fragrances.

The changes we have made in grooming products have gone a long way toward giving Frankie relief from itchy, scaly skin.  He has been free of the “doggie dandruff” since we stopped using soap-based shampoo, and he never flinches or otherwise shows signs of pain or irritation during brushing any more.