We spoke with Lisa Guccione, Operations Manager at Orivet Genetic Pet Care about how DNA testing can help pet owners understand their dogs better.
Could you tell us a bit more about Orivet and the mission of the company?
As an international leader in the field of pet genetics, Orivet is committed to the health and well-being of companion animals. Orivet was founded on the premise that every pet is truly a unique individual. As our team of pet enthusiasts has been at the forefront of animal genetics for over 15 years, this statement has never been more poignant.
Research, innovation, and support from the community are all instrumental in increasing the longevity and quality of life of your companion. DNA sequencing alone doesn’t provide many answers in and of itself; Analysis of that data against a large database is key. Orivet uses this large database to collaborate with research institutions and seek feedback from the community to pinpoint traits, diseases, and breeds in a much more accurate way than simple analysis. This accuracy gives owners, veterinarians, and breeders valuable insight into how to improve the longevity and quality of life of their companions.
How does pet DNA testing differ from human DNA testing?
The process for collecting samples and sequencing DNA is similar for humans and pets, however there are major differences in how that data is used. For the most part, humans are all susceptible to the same genetic information, whereas pet DNA analysis presents more of a challenge. Traits and diseases in dogs are often breed-specific; Many dogs can carry DNA traits that won’t affect them.
This is why an accurate identification of dog’s breed is essential in determining what traits and diseases may be relevant. For purebred dogs, products like Orivet’s Full Breed Profile highlight pertinent DNA attributes personalized for your pedigree.
What are some of the more common reasons that pet owners would have to do a pet DNA test?
While most pet owners are concerned with genetic diseases that may affect their companion, there are other common reasons to have a DNA test performed. Many pet owners are simply curious of their dogs genetic makeup. When a Breed ID test is performed, it provides many answers such as predictive ancestry, breed characteristics, size, weight and even non-genetic conditions that may appear. Some pet owners may have to submit proof of an accepted breed to a homeowners or condo association. Others may be concerned with breed-specific issues such as MDR1 that can be valuable knowledge for your veterinarian.
Pet owners concerns are usually different than the needs of other pet enthusiasts, but the research and community support provided by breeders and veterinarians drive the accuracy of everyone’s results. Orivet works closely with breeders (the source of our furry friends) as they have a huge impact on future generations. Accurate DNA testing has become a necessity to breeders’ businesses and to provide care to the animals they love. Many disorders can be avoided if genetic testing is performed on the parents before breeding. If DNA testing hasn’t been performed, a breeder can use a test to rule out symptoms that are showing. Breeders also use genetic testing to help predict trait outcomes. For veterinarians, a DNA test is an important tool in diagnosing a pet’s health. Orivet offers Veterinarians advanced genetic attributes screening and innovative tools to implement personalized medicine in their practice
Could you tell us a bit about the benefits of doing a DNA test on your pet and what kind of information can a pet owner expect to receive?
Knowledge is the main benefit of performing a DNA test. Knowledge of disease traits can be used to tailor the care of a pet, possibly extending longevity and quality of life. The knowledge of a pet’s breed makeup can be used to determine behavior, genetic and non-genetic health. The knowledge of traits can be used to predict attributes, or selectively breed attributes.
Orivet currently tests for 350 breeds and varieties, over 225 diseases, 34 traits, and over 50 single assay tests. Genopet, our most advanced consumer test, includes a Breed ID test, LifePlan™, and Health Screen. The breed ID test reveals the breeds that make up your dog and provides an ancestry report to the great-grandparent level. LifePlan™ uses the Breed ID data to create a report of non-genetic diseases to watch out for as well as advice and care reminders. Our Health Screen will show the results of all the diseases we test for and highlights the diseases that are relevant to a dog’s breed.
Have you found that pet owners are becoming more educated in recent years with all this information out there and that there is a higher trend of buyers requesting DNA results from breeders?
Yes! With the plethora of information now available online pet owners are becoming very knowledgeable about their breeds. There are many websites that provide great information about genetics, especially our own. We have fact sheets, online tools, and give the reader the ability to download publications about the conditions they are interested in. We provide an easy way to research the conditions that are specific to a breed with our Full Breed Profiles.
The number of pet owners requesting DNA results from their breeders is definitely on the rise. With all of this information so readily available to the public, buyers are much more aware of what they should be looking for in a healthy puppy.
Where do you see pet DNA testing headed in the future?
DNA testing will definitely become more mainstream. We are already seeing a large uptick in interest from veterinarians, breeders and pet owners. It will become part of standard testing practices at vets and a requirement for serious breeders.
Research is ongoing and new tests are constantly being developed, with each new test comes a chance to detect disease. All of these new tests give veterinarians the ability to use DNA testing to identify and treat hereditary diseases before symptoms show or progress. Breeders are able to ensure that their litters are clear of disease and only breed healthy pups, stopping some diseases in their tracks.
The future is bright for genetic testing – we will see whole genome sequencing, testing for polygenetic diseases, cancers, the list is never ending. In short, DNA testing is the future of animal health!
