Dog Genetic Testing

Discover your dog's breed.

Have you ever wondered what breeds your mixed-breed dog is, or if he may be genetically predisposed to certain illnesses? Silver Spring Animal Wellness Center can answer these questions with dog DNA testing.

With a simple blood test we can:

• Identify canine breed mix and specific needs for a more precise nutritional consideration.
• Know a more accurate adult weight range for overall health maintenance.
• Understand genetic markers that could signal a predisposition to certain health conditions.

Plus, it would be great just to know your dog's history and what helps make him who he is today! The turn around time for genetic test results is about 2 weeks.

Rocco's Genetic Health Test Results

Part 1: Which dog breeds make up Rocco?

One side of Rocco's family tree is all Chihuahua. The other side was a little harder to pin down. Although Rocco had mixed breeds throughout the second family line, it was determined that Rocco is most likely a Chihuahua and Rat Terrier mix.

Part 2: Genetic Health Concerns

Rocco was tested for 13 different diseases and was negative for all but one: Primary Lens Luxation. This is a disease that affects the lens in a dog's eye. This was an important discovery for Rocco's owner as he has started showing early signs of Glaucoma (he's on the high normal side for his eye pressures) and this disease can occur along with Glaucoma, but is also common in terrier breeds by itself.

Rocco's owner found the results of the canine genetic health testing to be highly informative. Had the testing been available 3 years ago when she adopted him, Rocco's owner would have been more proactive about keeping tabs on his eyes and monitoring the pressures, since it's not something that's tested regularly until pets start to get a little older.

Contact us at Silver Spring Animal Wellness Center or request an appointment online to test your dog's genetics.