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You will now enter your information into the DNA Online Portal and mail your DNA sample directly to the AKC’s service provider rather than sending your information and DNA sample to the AKC. For additional information on how to submit your sample if you cannot activate your kit using the internet, call AKC DNA at 919-816-3508.
A prepaid AKC DNA Test Kit costs $50 (per dog). AKC also offered $50 non-prepaid DNA kits in the past, but these kits will be phased out starting in 2021. You can still submit DNA for your dog if you already purchased one of these non-prepaid kits by following the standard procedure of mailing your sample, payment, and information to AKC DNA Operations.
The current $50 prepaid and regular AKC DNA test kits without barcodes are being phased out. The processing of these “legacy” AKC DNA kits will continue. For processing these vintage, non-barcoded kits, the original method of mailing the sample, payment, and completed forms to AKC DNA Operations will still be necessary.
Wisdom Panel’s commitment to research and privacy
Like Embark, Wisdom Health (Wisdom Panel’s parent company) sponsors the IPFD, the group harmonizing the canine genetic-testing industry. It also conducts canine research based on the DNA samples it receives. For example, an April 2018 study in PLOS Genetics examined 152 diseases in more than 100,000 dogs across 330 breeds. The study reported that mixed-breed dogs are more likely to carry a common recessive disease, and that purebred dogs are more likely to develop a disease from one. Although the findings don’t suggest that a single test is a predictor for disease, Wisdom Panel, in part, believes it can help veterinarians make better treatment decisions.
Even though Mars, Incorporated owns Wisdom Panel, Wisdom Panel informed us via email that it is in charge of its own data and that it “may use anonymized composite data for research purposes and this de-identified data may be shared with third parties.” However, we never divulge any personal information or findings connected to a specific animal without the user’s express permission. ”.
Wisdom Panel also maintains a strict privacy policy. It doesnt share information with third parties without the account holder’s written consent, similar to HIPAA. And with an account holder’s consent, a veterinarian may consult Wisdom Panel’s in-house vet geneticists about a pet patient’s results.
In order to determine breed compositions, Wisdom Panel uses half as many genetic markers as Embark does (100,000 vs. 200,000 markers), so the results might not be as accurate. These markers allow geneticists to map a dog’s DNA without having to look at the entire 3-billion-base-pair genome. By carefully choosing the appropriate markers and comparing them to Wisdom’s dog breed database, they can conserve resources. A sophisticated algorithm will then determine the most likely genetic lineage of a pup. But even a small number of well-placed markers cannot ensure the best outcomes.
Consider DNA markers as haphazard pieces of a puzzle that you haven’t put together. The few bits you do have tell you the picture has blue tones. However, blue can stand in for a variety of things, including the sky, the ocean, tapestry yarns, or a quirky dinner plate. The picture becomes more complete the more puzzle pieces you’ve connected. Because Embark uses more genetic markers than the competition, Hekman advised it for the majority of dog owners because “sometimes we don’t know what we’re looking for.” “More markers are better because we still miss a lot of information when we only use markers,” ”.
Furthermore, Wisdom Panel equally distributes any ancestry results below 1% to the other breeds on the report. This “does not significantly alter the overall results,” according to a spokesperson, which is consistent with our experts’ findings that anything less than 5% is probably inaccurate and not worth trusting. Because Embark’s methodology uses twice as many markers and groups breed results under 5% into “supermutt” categories, Wirecutter prefers it. The only time this doesn’t apply is if there is already a closely related “sibling breed” in the results; in that case, Embark adds the sub-5% numbers to that breed since it is likely that’s where it belongs.
Wisdom Panel also screens for 211 genetic health conditions, and it lists the status of each disease as “at risk,” “notable” or “clear.” In 2019, our dog panelists had consistent results among the diseases that Wisdom Panel and Embark both tested for, with one exception: Embark reported that Sutton was “at risk” for dilated cardiomyopathy, while Wisdom Panel did not. When asked about the mismatch, Hughes said Wisdom Panel doesn’t report at-risk statuses for dogs with breed makeups that are not at risk for the disease, but she confirmed that Sutton had tested positive for the mutation. She added that they’ve tested over one million dogs, and “the correlation to actual clinical disease is not supported in the vast majority of these breeds.” We appreciate Wisdom Panel’s rationale of limiting stress among dog owners—after all, someone could end up euthanizing a pet because of frightening genetic health results. But when polled, Wirecutter’s pet owners unanimously agreed that they’d prefer to be able to access all of the information they’d paid for, and to be able to discuss their results with a vet.
When questions did arise during testing, Wisdom Panel, like Embark, responded within one business day. But Wisdom Panel is less likely than Embark to rerun breed results at a pet owner’s request. A pet owner may elect to rerun a test if the breed database and algorithm have significantly changed, such as the addition of new breeds. (At the time of writing, Embark offered this as a one-time complimentary service, and Facebook users report success using it.) Two of our panelists submitted Wisdom Panel tests in 2016 and 2017, and in May 2019 Wisdom Panel declined to rerun both, citing different reasons. Wisdom Panel also gave disparate rationales on not retesting dozens of outdated kits from other users, from “not enough genetic data” to “we don’t expect a change in results.” As a compromise, some owners claimed they were offered discount codes for new tests, but others were not.
In 2020, Wisdom Panel upgraded its chip, which is now known as Wisdom Panel Premium, to use more than 100,000 genetic markers to test for canine ancestry and review more than 200 genetic traits. The business announced plans to provide customers who took the test within the previous five years with free updates to their results. But as of this writing, Wisdom Panel requested that we submit new DNA kits because they were unable to rerun our tests from 2019.
Finally, Wisdom Panel uses two collection wands, like the majority of the kits we tested (but not Embark). The bristly heads, which resemble mascara wands, are uncomfortable to rub against a dog’s cheek. The wands should then be dried in the provided box by perching them upright before shipping them back. But because the wands wobbled in their stands, some testers were concerned that they might fall and become contaminated.
We scouted Darwin’s Ark, a crowdsourcing effort that has pet owners submit short behavioral surveys about their dogs—and in return they receive a free DNA test. Collaborating researchers, like Hekman of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, study the research in the hope of understanding what exactly makes dogs, well, dogs. There’s a waiting list for the free DNA tests, and it can take years to receive the results. (I’ve been on the waitlist since 2019.) Anyone can buy a test starting at $249 (reduced to $149 after submission of 10 surveys). Most results for paid tests are available in 90 to 120 days. Darwin’s Ark has 101 breeds in its database and uses 4 million genetic markers. We look forward to reviewing Darwin’s Ark after it receives additional funding and can streamline its testing process for all participants.
With each purchase of the DNA My Dog NEXTGEN Breed Identification and Genetic Age Test, breed analysis and a prognostic health plan (instead of a disease screening) are included. Owners of dogs who use this typically receive the breed results via email in two weeks. Despite being advertised as a perk, no certificate is delivered via postal mail. (We also occasionally received duplicate certificates from Orivet, a potential test provider for DNA My Dog, but neither business confirmed this after repeated inquiries. Furthermore, users must check their accounts frequently for updates because there is no notification when the health plan is ready. In order to access the health plan, they must also set up a secondary account, which is not explained online. Additionally, three of the five dogs we tested did not have their health plans delivered as of the time of writing. The company doesn’t say how many DNA markers it uses, and it also tests for 96 different dog breeds, which is fewer than any kit we tested.
The Find My Pet DNA (unavailable as of 2021) manufacturer had a website, registration process, customer service emails, and DNA products that were almost identical to the DNA My Dog experience when we first wrote this guide in 2019. All of these factors made this one an easy dismissal.
This guide is dedicated in loving memory of Sparky.
Jennifer Hunter, Jason Chen, and Catherine Kast edited this piece.
Moses and her coworkers cautioned about potential conflicts of interest from businesses that stand to gain from the coming “tsunami of data.” They’ve urged businesses to share data to ensure that the information is used to improve animal health.
“Theyre great,” said Julie Lee of Syracuse, Utah. Lee initially believed Layla, her dog, was a mixed-breed but later learned that she is a purebred German Shepherd. Perhaps more comforting: the medical information. She discovered that although Layla can’t contract the disease from her dog, it can be passed on if she has puppies. Layla’s dog is a carrier of a rare neurological disease.
However, some veterinary professionals are dubious about the new fads’ lack of accuracy and standards. They caution that the kits may provide incorrect medical advice to ignorant owners, which may have detrimental effects.
The article cites a terrifying tale of a 13-year-old pug that was put to sleep because its owners placed too much faith in a DNA test’s findings.
She added that there are moral issues to think about, such as whether DNA test results could be used to prevent a dog owner from renting or purchasing a home if a particular breed is prohibited, or from purchasing homeowners insurance.
FAQ
Are dog DNA tests accurate?
Hughes reported that the breed results from Wisdom Panel in 2019 were 93% accurate, just a little bit lower than Embark’s reported 95% to 99% accuracy rate. In 2021, the company stopped disclosing accuracy rates. As of 2022, Wisdom Panel claimed a 98% accuracy rate.
What will a dog DNA test tell you?
The percentage of your dog’s breed mix, based on a library of up to 350 different dog breeds, is included in the DNA test results. You can learn more about each breed your dog receives, including information on its temperament, appearance, history, interesting tidbits, and related breeds.
Can you use a human DNA test on a dog?
But there are also between 100 and 200 genetic variants that have been linked to disease that can be tested for. Is there a difference between testing a dog’s DNA and a human’s? K. Given how similar humans and dogs are to one another, you can use the same technology to examine either species’ DNA.
How can I identify the breed of my dog?
- Compare your pup’s physical traits to other breeds. Most people begin by looking at a dog’s appearance when trying to determine its breed.
- Take a dog breed identification quiz. …
- Download a dog breed identifier app. …
- Use a dog DNA test.