Although there are several companies that do animal genetic testing, there are currently two ways it can be done. The first approach is individual testing that looks at each mutation independently. At GenSol, we use this type of testing and provide our customers with breed specific panels that make it so you only test for what you need. The other approach is to test for many mutations, regardless of whether the mutation is present or has health implications for a particular breed. For more information, we have a blog titled “Test For What You Need” that describes the two approaches in more detail. Some obvious reasons someone would choose one approach over another typically involve things like cost and how quickly they can get their results. But a less obvious reason centers around whether a mutation really matters in a particular breed.
When we determine whether to add a genetic test to our menu, the two main things we look for are whether a mutation has been demonstrated to be found in a breed AND more importantly if it has been demonstrated in a peer reviewed scientific publication to lead to disease symptoms in a breed. This is because several breeds may carry a mutation, but it only leads to disease in one or a few breeds. It is important to note that genetic testing is not disease testing and just because an animal carries the mutation, doesn’t necessarily mean they will experience the disease. This is at the core of why we only offer breed specific testing to provide the best information for breeding and healthcare decisions.
Although we have been in the industry for years, it has only been since the introduction of testing for many non-specific mutations that we became aware of the impact this has on a breeder’s business. Pet buyers are becoming increasingly aware of the value of genetic test results when it comes to purchasing their pet. We have heard from several breeders that supplying a giant list of results, most of which are not applicable to their breed, can not only cause confusion but can also lead to a pet buyer backing out of a purchase due to seeing a single test result that has no real impact on the animal’s health. This then puts the breeder in an uncomfortable position having to convince the buyer that the result they are seeing doesn’t really matter.
At GenSol, we believe in providing scientifically valid tests for each breed and giving our customers the flexibility to pick and choose the tests that they need. This reduces the confusion when interacting with pet buyers and gets you your results faster and is typically cheaper than the alternative. Our overall mission is to reduce animal genetic disease by providing people with the tools they need to make better decisions, and we have been supporting animal breeders since the beginning. Just reach out if we can be of more assistance and we look forward to supporting your breeding business.
