How Accurate Are DNA Panels?

from Lowcountry Dog Magazine- April May 2019

by Lowcountry Dog Magazine

Drivin' N' Cryin' N' Barkin'

HOW ACCURATE ARE DNA PANELS?

WE PUT THEM TO TEST...

Written by Kelly Glasson, staff writer

Dog owners often get the question when they are out and about with their pup, “What kind of dog is he/she?”, and many rescue dog owners can’t give a confident answer back to that question! One of the many benefits of rescuing a dog is the unique mix of breeds that can make rescue dogs unique from any dogs purchased from a breeder or pet store. Rescue dogs often come with a question mark next to their breed because we can only speculate by the way they look. Still, many rescue owners are curious as to what breeds their dogs are for health reasons, behavioral reasons or just pure curiosity. Dog DNA Panels have been created to determine just that- what is your dog mixed with?So how do these tests work? Almost all DNA panels start by sending a DNA swab kit to the dog owner’s home. Then the owner will take a swab of their dog’s cheek and send it back for analysis. Each company that sells DNA kits has a database of unique DNA markers associated with each breed of dog. Through comparing the unique markers in your dog’s DNA with the others in the database, these companies can give you an idea of what breeds your dog is mixed with. Many DNA panels can give you percentages of each breed that they have found in your dog’s DNA so not only can you find out what your dog is mixed with but also what percentage of their genetic makeup each breed contributes. The test results are usually emailed back to you within 2-8 weeks. When DNA panels hit the market in 2007 they were met with both curiosity and skepticism. How accurate can these DNA panels be? Which DNA test has the best results? Nathan Sutter, PhD, assistant professor of medical genetics at Cornell University says “The more breeds in a company’s database, the greater the chance for accuracy in their results.” This allows the database to compare against more breeds to have more accurate findings. Unfortunately, companies with more breeds in their DNA base often are more expensive than others. Our Chief Canine Officer Peanut was recently the subject of a DNA panel. Her DNA swabs were sent off to two different DNA Panels- DNA My Dog and Wisdom Panel. While both swabs were taken from the same dog, the results were VERY different. DNA My Dog reported that Peanut is Level 2 (37-74%) Boxer, Level 3 (20- 36%) Akita, Level 4 (10-20%) Parson Russell Terrier and Level 5 (1-9%) Weimaraner. Wisdom Panel reported that Peanut is 25% Beagle, 25% Chihuahua, 12.5% Chow Chow, 12.5% Cocker Spaniel and 25% breeds of the breed groups asian, companion, Middle Eastern & African, Terrier. Vastly different results from 2 companies that both received cheek swabs from the same dog. So what companies can you trust with your DNA panel results? After extensive research we have chosen Embark as our number 1 pick for a DNA test.While Embark refused to participate in our test for Peanut to compare their results with the other two leading brands, Embark provides a very detailed report after comparing your dogs DNA to over 200 breeds. Embark also uses the sample to perform a health screening to see if your dog has any health risks or is predisposed to any conditions. This test may be a little pricier (priced at about $200) but if you are going to pay for DNA results you want to make sure that they are accurate.

Second on our list is Wisdom Panel, one of the DNA tests taken by Peanut. Wisdom Panel is great for dogs who are mixed with many other breeds because they have over 250 breeds in their database to analyze with, although their reports and not as detailed as Embark. They also perform a health screening just like our number 1 pick. Wisdom Panel gave accurate results for Peanut when tested against another nonreputable DNA company. This is also a good option for those with a tighter budget when it comes to DNA testing (priced at about $75). HomeDNA Orivet Dog DNA Test and Life Plan rounds out our top 3 DNA panels. They offer 2 DNA panels, one for breed identification and one for health screening. Each of the DNA tests come with a life plan, which includes everything from diet, exercise routine and playtime routine based upon the breeds that are included in the results. These tests are priced at about $120 per test but are thorough and great for first time dog owners who aren’t sure exactly what they should be doing to care for their specific dog. DNA Panels can be very informative and help to find useful information about our furry friends. Like all things having to do with our pets, doing thorough research on the best option for them is the best way to determine which DNA panel can help determine their doggy history.