Understanding Your Genetic Test Results
Understanding your genetic test results is crucial for making informed breeding and health decisions for your dog, breeding pair, or puppies.
In Part 1 of this blog, we explained how to interpret and use genetic test results for breeding. It is also important to understand what we test for and why different companies may report results differently.
What “Genetic Testing” Means
“Genetic testing” can mean different things depending on the purpose of the test.
For dog genetic testing focused on health and coat type, we detect DNA mutations. A mutation is a change in a gene that alters how it functions.
Many customers assume we test for the gene itself. In reality, we test for a mutation within the gene.
Mutations can:
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Completely disrupt a gene, often leading to disease.
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Alter the gene’s function, producing a slightly different trait, such as a coat color change from black to brown.
It is important to know that we test for mutations in a gene, not the gene itself.
Understanding Test Results
Genetic tests usually produce three possible results, though different companies may use different labels.
Each dog inherits two copies of each gene, one from each parent. Genetic tests check whether a dog carries two, one, or no copies of a mutation.
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Clear / Unaffected / Normal: The dog has no copies of the mutation. It does not carry the mutation that causes disease or coat changes.
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Carrier: The dog has one copy of the mutation and one normal copy. It may be affected or unaffected depending on whether the mutation is dominant or recessive.
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Affected / At Risk: The dog carries two copies of the mutation and no normal copies.
Differences in Reporting
Companies may report results in different ways, even when testing for the same mutation.
Some use letter codes for normal and mutated gene copies. For example:
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B-Locus/Brown/Chocolate/Liver: BB, Bb, or bb
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K Locus/Dominant Black: KB or ky
At GenSol, we simplify results to make them easy to read. We label all tests as:
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A = Clear
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B = Carrier
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C = Affected
Why Understanding Your Results Matters
Understanding your results helps you make informed breeding and health decisions.
At GenSol, we assist with interpreting your results, whether you use our services or another company. Together, we can improve dog health through responsible breeding and healthcare decisions.
