|
Terry Kelley CVT, CPDT, CAP1 (Summer 2008)
First Published in Yankee Dog Magazine The Challenge The waiting is over for all of the “canine detectives”, who took our challenge in the last edition. As a follow up to our article on Canine DNA testing (to determine the breeds in a mixed breed dog’s background), Yankee Dog asked readers to solve this puzzle. Readers were asked to try and discover what the Mars Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis would detect about our three mystery canines. The three dogs who we submitted blood samples for were Bella, Sugar and Player. |
Bella
Player
Sugar
|
|
And the Envelope Please …
Bella is 1 ˝ years old and was brought to New England from Puerto Rico when she was a 3 month old puppy. She is about a 20 pound gal with short brown hair, floppy ears and a curly Spitz tail. She is truly a one-of-a-kind girl and Bella’s DNA results detected distant traces of Chinese Shar-Pei and Great Pyrenees. According to the lab analysis there were also faint traces of other breeds, but they were not strong enough to identify. |
|
Sugar is a 5 year old from Tennessee, who was transported up north when she was 4 months old. At the time, her owners were told she was a Collie mix. As an adult, Sugar weighs in around 48 pounds, has short white hair, floppy ears and a curly tail. Her mom is convinced she is part Sighthound, such as Whippet due to her body type and speed. Sugar’s lab analysis reported she has distant traces of Collie, German Shepherd and Shetland Sheepdog. But the real surprise was the strongest breed detected in her DNA was Alaskan Malamute! Like Bella, Sugar’s lab analysis found faint traces of other breeds, but they were not strong enough to identify. |
|
And finally we have Player. In any study you should have a control sample, where the results are known. Player was our ‘control’ canine and is an 8 year old purebred Belgian Sheepdog. His lab analysis detected only Belgian Sheepdog in his DNA. So, while no lab testing is 100% perfect, it appears the Mars Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis is fairly accurate in identifying many major breeds of canines. So the mystery is over! The top three sleuths whose answers most closely matched the results of the DNA analysis and will receive a prize from Yankee Dog are:
So, if you are curious about your mixed breed dog’s ancestry and want to consider having his DNA sample analyzed, please contact your veterinarian and see if they carry the test kits. If your veterinarian does not carry the test kits, you can purchase the test kit online for $124.99. Once it arrives, set up an appointment with your vet to have him/her draw the blood sample and send it back to the lab. There will be an extra charge for this procedure from your veterinarian. So, I hope you enjoyed the DNA puzzle as much as we did. And by the way … I own Sugar and I still think she is part Whippet! Terry Kelley, CVT, CPDT
|
|
Pet Sitting & Dog Walking ·
In-Home Health Care ·
Transport ·
Canine Training & Behavior
Endorsements · In The News · About Us · Contact Us Pet Tech and Transport Services LLC is fully insured and bonded.
|
|