Last Updated on September 2, 2021 by Dogs Vets
Table of Contents
How Much Does a Dog Dna Test Cost At a Vet?
You can expect the average cost of a DNA test to be between $100 and $300. This charge applies if you choose to have a blood-based DNA test performed by a veterinarian.
However, you can also choose to purchase a DNA test kit that will cost you between $30 and $70 along with additional shipping costs.
This procedure is quite simple and can be done by the pet owner or a veterinarian. Some veterinarians prefer to submit a blood sample where they can be sure that large amounts of DNA are present. While the needle blood collection may upset your pet for a moment, overall the procedure will not harm your pet.
Dog DNA Testing Overview
Home DNA testing is becoming increasingly popular and it’s easy to see why. Who hasn’t wanted to learn more about their family’s ancestral past or uncover hidden aspects of their personal heritage?
Services like 23 and me and Ancestry.org touch something Intimate, If you think otherwise, As it turns out, there are plenty of services out there that provide additional features of DNA testing for dogs.
If you’re the proud owner of a mixed-breed puppy, you probably spent some time wondering what exactly went into your dog’s genetic makeup.
DNA testing for dogs is your chance to find out – as well as learn critical health details, devise a better nutrition plan, and track down all kinds of pertinent information.
How much does dog DNA testing cost?
When ordering an analysis for your pet or litter, of course, you want to get the best possible price, but the cost is not the only issue. You should also ask the following:
- Are the test results accurate?
- Are the results accurate?
- Are the results published quickly?
- Do you provide customer service?
- Would your clients recommend you to their friends and family?
A more detailed analysis follows.
Hereditary disease testing: Screen for genetic predisposition to diseases common in certain breeds, such as degenerative myelopathy, exercise-induced collapse, von Willebrand’s type 1 disease, and more.
DDC Pets & Vets pricing: $58 each, with a 20% discount for 2 or more tests
Hereditary trait testing: Testing for physical traits passed down from parents, such as coat color, curl, long coat, and more.
DDC Pets & Vets pricing: $58 each, with a 20% discount for 2 or more tests
Dog Lineage & Parentage Verification: checking physical traits passed down from parents, such as coat color, coat curl, long coat wool, and more.
DDC Pets & Vets pricing: $38 each, with a 20% discount for 2 or more tests
Parent/DNA Profiling: To verify that offspring are registered to the correct dam.
DDC Pets & Vets prices: $58 each, with a 20% discount for 2 or more tests
Dog Breed DNA Testing: Have you ever been asked, “What breed is that dog?” DNA for pets with an unknown history can be analyzed in a DNA genotype database for hundreds of breeds, effectively identifying your pet’s lineage from multiple generations.
Veterinary DDC price: $89 per dog
In addition to offering daily low prices, DDC Veterinary also runs monthly specials for additional savings.
More on Dogs DNA Testing…
Despite the growing popularity of DNA testing for dogs, there are relatively few companies offering these services.
The most well-known is Embark and Wisdom Panel, which promises to not only reveal your dog’s breed mix but also their family tree back to their grandparents. Some other well-known companies include DNA My Dog and Orivet.
What are the differences between these companies? With a DNA test for dogs, two things matter most: the number of breeds in their database and the accuracy of their results.
Here’s a breakdown of the top four choices and what they are best known for.
#1: Embark Vet DNA testing
Start testing for 350 breeds including dingoes, village dogs, and wolves. Who doesn’t want to know if their dog is a part wolf?
Researcher Ryan Boyko founded Embark Dog after conducting dog DNA research around the world
The test is produced in collaboration with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and has been highly rated online, including by The New York Times, which recently tested major dog DNA test brands.
Quality comes with a price tag: the two Embark kits (one is the health version, which we’ll discuss a bit later) retail at $129 and $199 respectively.
#2: Wisdom Panel
The Wisdom Panel, from Mars Petcare, also tests for more than 350 breeds. NPR spoke with Angela Hughes of Mars Petcare, who conducts the Wisdom Panel testing, and Hughes said they can’t disclose their exact methods for proprietary reasons. She added, however, that internal testing has shown that their breed results are 93 percent accurate in mixed breeds.
Like Embark, Wisdom Panel offers two different products, a “premium” version that includes health testing. Their two packages will cost you either $99.99 or $159.99, so they’re a bit more affordable than Embark.
#3 DNAmyDog
This option is less expensive than Embark and Wisdom Panel and has a smaller breed database. This means that if your dog is of a rare origin or an unregistered breed, DnaMyDog is not the best choice.
However, its database represents the majority of common dog breeds in the United States. You have your German Shepherds, your Bulldogs, your Yorkies, and even your Affenpinschers. If you are concerned about budget, take a look at DNAmyDog.
#4. Orivet DNA Testing
Orivet primarily markets to breeders and veterinarians. For scientists or pet parents looking for highly specific health tests, Orivet offers a wide variety of specific tests for genetic conditions. They have a commercially available “mixed breed kit” available for $84 at Chewy.
How do dog DNA tests work?
The DNA testing process is simple for dog owners. You can order a dog DNA testing kit from Amazon, Chewy, and other online retailers. Subsequently, your breed identification test comprises a cheek swab.
The DNA testing itself was simple for us, although we had to bribe Scout with bacon before we molted it.
Pro tip: don’t let them eat the treat, as it will dilute their saliva and lose their results. Use it to get their attention and cooperation and then reward them when you’ve gathered enough saliva.
After you send it in the mail, your dog’s sample is compared to an extensive database of breeds of other DNA samples.
Within a few weeks, you receive your dog’s results via email. This will either be in a PDF attachment or online. Embark and Wisdom Panel offer customized web portals to view your dog’s mystery makeup. This means analysis of breed heritage by percentage.
Are these tests regulated? The short answer is no. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not monitor the quality or promises of dog DNA tests, unlike regulating human DNA tests like Ancestry and 23andMe.
The companies themselves promise high levels of internal quality control. Wisdom Panel notes that its laboratory is USDA accredited.
Dog DNA testing and your dog’s lifestyle
Knowing your dog’s breed not only satisfies a pet parent’s curiosity but also provides useful information. As VCA Hospitals notes, knowing the breed combination “can help the owner develop a more accurate nutrition, wellness and preventative care plan for their pet.”
If you have a herding mix on your hands, for example, you’ll want to provide them with extra exercise to motivate and motivate them.
On the other hand, “small-nosed” dogs like French and Boston terriers are prone to overheating.
If your dog is one of these breeds, you’re likely to avoid long walks in the heat – and perhaps invest in a doggy pool. Let’s be honest: the cute factor is a real added bonus.
Learning more about the breeds that show up in your dog’s results is half the fun of DNA testing. Getting clues about your dog’s behavior only strengthens your bond.
Dog DNA testing and your dog’s health
As with many things, when it comes to health information and dog DNA testing, you get what you pay for.
Wisdom Panel has two options for purchase: the “Essential” test and the “Premium” kit. Previously known as Wisdom Panel 4.0 and Wisdom Panel Health, respectively, they are available for $99 for the Essential and $159 for the Premium.
While both tests promise to tell you about potential “medical complications” your dog may face due to drug sensitivity or immune deficiencies, only the premium version conducts 180+ health tests for genetic predisposition to the disease.
Embark, which has already sold its DNA Testing at $129, offers an additional “health kit” to the standard breed test that tests for over 190 health conditions and over 20 “physical traits.” This more expensive package costs nearly $200.
However, before you go the extra mile on the health tests, it’s important to take a look at the science.
The American Kennel Club says of DNA health tests, “research is still in its infancy.” They point out that for-profit testing companies keep their methods secret, which means it’s difficult to verify the accuracy of their results.
The AKC warns against the “unspecified level of concern, fracturing and sometimes false confidence that these tests can cause.”
And, while it’s true that some breeds are prone to certain health risks – dachshunds are prone to back problems, for example, while golden retrievers have a high incidence of canine cancer – there’s no guarantee that your particular pet will fall victim to common breed conditions.
Take the example of a serious dog disease called degenerative myelopathy (DM. DM is a debilitating spinal condition that eventually leads to paralysis in older dogs. Researchers have linked a mutation in a specific gene to DM.
DNA testing can potentially tell owners if their dog is a carrier and if their pet is at risk of developing DM.
That said, the DM mutation only reveals how difficult genetic testing for health conditions can be. In an article about dog DNA testing, The Atlantic spoke with anatomy and genetics professor Kari Ekenstedt at Purdue University. She explained that the “ever-controversial DM mutation” is hard to trust.
Why? Because even if a dog has the mutation, it doesn’t necessarily develop the disease.
So take any DNA health test for dogs with a grain of salt.
Always talk to your vet about your particular dog. Your vet can provide a detailed health exam during regular checkups.
Good preventative care for your pet is more likely to give you information about your dog’s health than their genetic makeup.
Answer to a mystery
Although the science of DNA testing is still evolving, it has come a long way in recent years. Countless online reviewers on Amazon, in various product reviews online, and even in the DoggyDNA Reddit community attest to the results of their pet’s breed.
For most pet parents, a DNA test for dogs is a positive experience. Learning more about your dog only helps strengthen your bond.
This sweet video from BuzzFeed shows that rescue dog owners learn the results of their dog’s DNA tests and, well, just try not to cry.
The Tail End
Keep in mind that ordering a DNA test through your vet will likely have added cost to the price, so it makes sense to test directly through the lab whenever possible.
Take Note: Be wary of prices from laboratories that appear “too low“.
Sometimes this unrealistically discounted price comes at the expense of the other important parts of the testing listed at the top of this article. Remember, the cost is important, but it is not the only consideration when choosing a provider you can trust.
You can order your DNA test now with DNA Diagnostics Center
Final Conclusion
The best overall DNA test for dogs is the Embark Breed & Health Kit, which provides you with a breed analysis and information about ancestors going back to great-grandparents.
It also tests for different genetic diseases! If you’re looking for something that costs a little less, the DNA My Dog Breed Identification Test Kit (view at Chewy) is a solid option that still provides reliable and fast results.
Fact Check
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Reference: Thesprucepets.com
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FAQs
How much does it cost to find out the DNA of a dog? ›
Dog DNA tests typically range anywhere from $60 to $200 depending on how deep you want to dive into your dog's genetics. Where some tests only include your dog's breed ID, others might include more in-depth information such as health risks, a family tree, and more.
Which DNA test is most accurate for dogs? ›Embark is the most accurate and comprehensive canine DNA test. Although the kit provides more data than even the most dedicated dog owners may want, its medical tests alone make it worthwhile.
Do dog DNA tests actually work? ›Which dog DNA test is most accurate? Discerning accuracy among DNA tests isn't cut-and-dried because the companies are only as reliable as the science behind them. In 2019, Embark said its breed results were 95% to 99% accurate.
How can I identify the breed of my dog? ›But if you truly want to be confident about your pup's breed make-up, there's really only one choice: a dog DNA test. This option looks past your pup's outward appearance and uses genetic clues to determine their ancestry. For the highest accuracy, you'll want a test with a sizable reference sample database.
How long do dog DNA tests take? ›Here's how the dog DNA test works
Order the test online, activate it, swab the cheek of your dog, and mail the sample back to the Embark lab in a pre-paid return envelope. In two to four weeks, you'll receive the results.
This process is quite simple and can be done by the pet owner or a veterinarian. Some veterinarians prefer to submit a blood sample for assurance that large amounts of DNA are present. While the needle prick of blood collection may upset your pet for a moment, overall, the process will not hurt your pet.
What does a dog DNA test tell you? ›Fortunately, a dog DNA test can answer most of the questions you may have. A dog DNA test can tell you if your dog is a purebred, what breeds it may have in its mix, and what percentage of their genes come from each. It can also help you identify any genetic anomalies that could cause health problems in the future.
Which DNA test is most accurate? ›The aptly named AncestryDNA test stood out as the best DNA testing kit because it presents test results in a clearer manner than other services and places the ancestry information it provides in a useful historical context.
What percentage is considered purebred dog? ›Purebred are those animals that have been bred-up to purebred status as a result of using full blood animals to cross with an animal of another breed. The breeders association rules the percentage of fullblood genetics required for an animal to be considered purebred, usually above 87.5%.
Is DNA embark worth it? ›The Bottom Line
Embark is the most accurate and comprehensive canine DNA test. Although the kit provides more data than even the most dedicated dog owners may want, its medical tests alone make it worthwhile. PCMag editors select and review products independently.
What breed is Scooby Doo? ›
Scooby Doo is a Great Dane, one of the biggest dog breeds. The character was created by Iwao Takamoto, animator at Hanna-Barbera Productions. Takamoto studied the breed when developing the character, but took plenty of liberties for the fictional series.
What dog is smartest? ›1. Border collie. According to The Intelligence of Dogs, which ranks 131 dog breeds in terms of their relative intelligence, the border collie is the smartest dog breed known to man.
Is there an app to identify a dog breed? ›The Dog Scanner app will identify your dog's breed reliably in just a few seconds! Besides taking a picture, you can also record a video or upload an image from your gallery. Got a mixed breed? No problem, the Dog Scanner app also recognizes mixed breeds!
Can dogs from the same litter have different DNA? ›On average, siblings who share the same parents are approximately 50% genetically related. But if more than one male fathers a litter, the half-siblings puppies are only ~25% genetically similar. This can produce very different breed ancestry results—and dramatically different looking puppies—within a single litter.
What age can you DNA test a puppy? ›Best Age to Test Puppies
Puppies can be tested at any age as the results won't change. However, it is advised to wait until they are at least 2 weeks old and it is safe to separate them from the dam and littermates for at least 1 hour to minimize contamination.
The best way to tell if a dog is purebred is undoubtedly by checking the pedigree papers, aka your pup's family tree. However, If you do not have any papers or health / DNA background, you can always talk to your vet or do a professional DNA test.
How do animal shelters determine breed? ›When dogs arrive at AHS, they usually have a breed already assigned to them — either by a partner shelter or by their previous owner. In many cases, that breed is also listed on their current rabies vaccination certificate.
Can you do a dog DNA test with hair? ›Veterinary forensics can now obtain your dog's DNA profile from blood, hair, poop, urine, saliva, and even muscles!
What is a super mutt? ›Some dogs descend from other dogs that were themselves mixed breed. These other dogs can give small contributions to the ancestry of your dog, so small that they are no longer recognizable as any one particular breed. Embark calls this portion “Supermutt." We like to think it confers super powers.
What happens if a mother and son dog mate? ›When crossbreeding a mother dog with her son or father with his daughter, we reduce the genetic variability of the offspring. This, generally, makes the individuals weaker and maladjusted. It causes their genetic code to have fewer resources for adaptation and, therefore, they will become impoverished.
Can dogs tell if they are siblings? ›
Research suggests that dogs are able to recognize their siblings and their parents later in life as long as they spent the first 16 weeks together. Intuitively, the less time dogs spend with their families as puppies, the less likely it is they'll be able to recognize a family member later on.
Can a vet do a DNA test on a dog? ›Collection of these samples is most easily done by rubbing a small, sterile nylon brush along the inside of your pet's cheek to collect epithelial cells from the area. The sample is then submitted to a laboratory for DNA analysis. This process is quite simple and can be done by the pet owner or a veterinarian.
What does a dog DNA test tell you? ›Fortunately, a dog DNA test can answer most of the questions you may have. A dog DNA test can tell you if your dog is a purebred, what breeds it may have in its mix, and what percentage of their genes come from each. It can also help you identify any genetic anomalies that could cause health problems in the future.
What tests should be done before breeding dogs? ›- Hip scoring.
- Elbow grading.
- Eye testing.
- Hearing tests.
- Thyroid tests.
- Heart testing.
- DNA testing.
Here's how the dog DNA test works
Order the test online, activate it, swab the cheek of your dog, and mail the sample back to the Embark lab in a pre-paid return envelope. In two to four weeks, you'll receive the results.
The best way to tell if a dog is purebred is undoubtedly by checking the pedigree papers, aka your pup's family tree. However, If you do not have any papers or health / DNA background, you can always talk to your vet or do a professional DNA test.
Can Dog DNA wrong? ›Even trained veterinarians sometimes get it wrong. So just because a shelter tells you a dog is a certain breed or breed mix, genetic data often tells a different story.
At what age can you DNA test a puppy? ›Best Age to Test Puppies
Puppies can be tested at any age as the results won't change. However, it is advised to wait until they are at least 2 weeks old and it is safe to separate them from the dam and littermates for at least 1 hour to minimize contamination.
Some dogs descend from other dogs that were themselves mixed breed. These other dogs can give small contributions to the ancestry of your dog, so small that they are no longer recognizable as any one particular breed. Embark calls this portion “Supermutt." We like to think it confers super powers.
Which DNA test is most accurate? ›The aptly named AncestryDNA test stood out as the best DNA testing kit because it presents test results in a clearer manner than other services and places the ancestry information it provides in a useful historical context.
Do dogs from the same litter have the same DNA? ›
On average, siblings who share the same parents are approximately 50% genetically related. But if more than one male fathers a litter, the half-siblings puppies are only ~25% genetically similar. This can produce very different breed ancestry results—and dramatically different looking puppies—within a single litter.
What age is the best to breed a dog? ›Most breeders recommend waiting until the female is at least 18 months before breeding. Most breeds are fully grown at this point, limiting the chance of complications. Many very small breeds can be bred after a year, though.
What does the male dog owner get when breeding? ›In exchange for services, the stud owner will receive a stud fee and will usually be guaranteed the first pick of the litter if breeding is successful. The service also extends beyond just purely allowing a dam to mate with a stud.
What are the 5 factors to consider before breeding your dog? ›- Screening tests. Did you know that some health problems, like hip dysplasia and heart abnormalities, can be passed on from the parents to their pups? ...
- Emergency C-sections. ...
- Nursing problems. ...
- Finding homes for the pups. ...
- No maternal instinct.
The Embark Age Test measures your dog's chronological (or calendar) age. We use DNA methylation to determine the amount of time that has passed from their birth to the given date.
Can dog DNA tests show pitbulls? ›We're pleased to share that—thanks to recent advancements in our breed detection system—Wisdom Panel™ dog DNA tests now screen for the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT).
Is DNA Embark worth it? ›The Bottom Line
Embark is the most accurate and comprehensive canine DNA test. Although the kit provides more data than even the most dedicated dog owners may want, its medical tests alone make it worthwhile. PCMag editors select and review products independently.