What the Dognomics Dog DNA Test Can Tell You About Your Dog’s Health & Breed

Not sure about your dog’s breed? Or, are you wondering what possible health conditions to keep an eye out for? 

The 39 pairs of chromosomes that make up your dog’s DNA hold a lot of information. They can give you insights into your dog’s breed and health conditions for which your dog may be at an increased risk. The Dognomics Dog DNA Test can help you decode your dog’s genetic health risk and breed. 

In this article, we will explore what a dog DNA test can tell you, cover the common misconceptions about dog DNA tests, and explain what you can do with your Dognomics DNA Test results to help your dog live the fullest, happiest, healthiest life possible.

What Can The Dognomics DNA Test Tell You About Your Dog’s Breed?

Pinpointing your dog’s exact breed can be difficult and appearances can be misleading. Especially with mixed breeds, you never know what physical features each contributed.    

By cross-referencing your dog’s genetic makeup with Dognomics’ database covering 98% of all dog breeds, the Dognomics DNA Test can help you determine your dog’s breed or breed mix.

In turn, knowing your dog’s breed will give you better insights into your dog’s trainability, disposition, and recommended activity level. 

What Can Dognomics Tell You About Your Dog’s Health Risks?

Breed mix is only one piece of the puzzle. Your dog’s unique DNA also plays a key role in their genetic health risks.  

Here is what you can learn about your dog’s health from your dog’s DNA: 

• Increased risk of developing health conditions: For example, a random mutation of a single gene can lead to a higher risk of your dog developing a certain eye issue. Fortunately, the Dognomics DNA Test can detect 237 potential increased risks by evaluating your dog’s genotype against their database of known gene mutations that are associated with an increased risk of certain diseases in dogs.  
• Increased risk of carrying and passing a health condition to offspring: A dog DNA test can determine whether there is a risk of your dog acting as a carrier of a certain genetic health condition and passing it on to offspring. Such carrier-only conditions do not affect your dog’s health — however, your dog’s offspring may be at an increased risk of developing these conditions.  
• Genetic weight and its implications: Another health related factor that the Dognomics DNA Test can measure is your dog’s genetic weight — the specific healthy weight range for your dog based on its genotype. Knowing your dog’s genetic weight makes it easier to identify whether your dog is overweight. Many dog parents are not aware of how common this is, and some studies have shown that over half of all U.S dogs are overweight. Even a modest weight loss can have a significant positive impact on a dog’s health by reducing illnesses such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. 

Misconceptions About Dog DNA Tests

There are several misconceptions about what dog DNA tests can or cannot tell you about your dog. We’ve rounded up some of the most common ones. 

Misconception #1: Dog DNA Test Don’t Make Sense for Purebreds

There is a common misconception that purebred dogs are the healthiest because of careful and selective breeding. In general, the opposite is true since inbreeding can increase genetic health risk. 

As a result, analyzing a purebred’s DNA can help identify potential genetic disorders that may have been a byproduct of selective breeding.  

Misconception #2: Dog DNA Tests Diagnose Disease

Dog DNA tests cannot diagnose health conditions based on the presence of a gene irregularity. Just like in humans, many gene mutations are not expressed and cause no health issues.  

In this sense, what dog DNA tests provide you with is awareness about the potential vulnerabilities in your dog’s health.  

Misconception #3: Dog DNA Tests Can Predict a Dog’s Future Health

Unfortunately, a dog DNA test cannot predict a dog’s future health. 

Dog DNA tests only show whether there is a higher risk of a dog developing genetic diseases, whether due to gene mutations or due to health issues more common to certain breeds. The tests do not examine the dog’s current health, nor can they predict its future health and well-being. 

What Can You Do with Your Dognomics DNA Test Results?

The results of your dog’s DNA test should serve as the starting point for your awareness of your dog’s health vulnerabilities. In other words, the test results are not a diagnosis, but a guide to the elements of your dog’s health that you should keep a close eye on.  

We recommend that you share your results with your vet, especially any genetic health risks. Together you can plan for monitoring any potential condition. You can learn how a health condition develops, what the symptoms are, and, most importantly, how it can be managed. 

Your dog’s Dognomics DNA Test results can help you adjust aspects of your dog’s lifestyle, such as diet and exercise level, as needed. By tailoring these aspects to your dog’s breed mix and genetic makeup, you can avoid weight disorders and the negative effects they have on your furry friend’s health.  

Dognomics Dog DNA Test Takeaways

A Dognomics Dog DNA Test can provide a wealth of insight into your dog’s breed mix and potential health risks to help you provide more proactive care for your four-legged friend. 

And while dog DNA tests can provide you with a variety of insights, there are some things they cannot tell you — such as your dog’s current or future health.  

We recommend that you treat the results of your dog’s DNA test as a starting point for learning more about your dog’s potential health risks. Equipped with the right information, you will be able to help your dog live the happiest and healthiest life possible.