Thank you to Mars Veterinary for sponsoring this post.
I am a dog person. I always have been, and I’ve always shared my life with them in one way or another. As a child I spent my days with my “best friend” by my side, and as an adult I have done the same. When I moved out on my own one of the first things I did was head to a rescue and adopt a puppy with my now husband. We called him Joplin, and he was the first animal that I ever helped. There is a super soft spot in my heart for dogs that need a little extra help, the forgotten ones, the ones who have no options. So, in the 11-ish years since that day we have taken care of numerous pups and given them forever homes.
Now we have Izzy, who we saved from what had been a poorly run backyard breeding situation when she was a tiny puppy. She has been with us for two years, and she has grown into a strong, amazing member of the family. The kids adore her, and I’m pretty sure she loves them just as much. We were told she was a Pit Bull but not knowing her actual lineage, there is no way to tell. Knowing family history plays a huge part in the health of animals just as it does in humans, but most of the time with rescues, mixed breeds and shelter dogs, it just isn’t possible.
We have always had Pit Bulls because I have a deep love for that breed, but because of the nature of where they have come from, I can’t be sure they are purebred, and that is totally fine. But, what if there was a way to find that out? Guess what – there is! A few months ago I found out about the Wisdom Panel® Canine DNA Test, which is basically exactly what it sounds like it would be. It tests your dog’s DNA and gives you a wealth of information ranging from breeds and disease markers, to information about what their physical appearance should look like. It can even give you probable colorings, projected adult weight, and so much more.
There are tons of advantages to the Wisdom Panel, and while I think being able to find out exactly what breeds Izzy’s parents and grandparents and great-grandparents were is super cool, what I really appreciate over all is what this means for her health. Knowing her exact breeds helps me customize her nutrition, health, and behavioral needs among other things. I didn’t know this, but according to the folks at the Wisdom Panel, it is pretty difficult to correctly determine mixed breed dogs by looking at them. Even professionals are only accurate about 25% of the time, so it was fun to find out what Izzy is. We knew she was some kind of Pitt, but we also figured there was something else in there as well, and having her tested confirmed that she also has about 25% bulldog which is pretty crazy!
There are other brands of DNA testing out there, but I feel that Wisdom Panel is by far the most comprehensive. They have the largest breed database on the market, using 1800 markers for breeds, disease detection, and an algorithm that makes more than 18,000,000 calculations to assign a final family tree. Now, that sounds insanely thorough to me! In addition to all that, they also screen for MDR1 and EIC (Exercise-induced Collapse) which can be life-saving for some dogs. The test itself is very easy, and to do it, just use the swabs they send you on the inside of your dog’s cheek.
After you swab, you will let them dry for a few minutes, pack them up in the box they send you, mail it off, and wait 2-3 weeks for results.
Once the results are in, you will receive an email with a link to your report. I downloaded and printed mine, and whoa – it had 13 pages full of everything I could possibly want to know! My report was incredibly detailed, personalized, and packed with information – I am so happy we did this, and I personally think it is a must for anyone who has a dog. The knowledge that comes with testing is great for peace of mind and so much more!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mars Veterinary.
