DNA Tests Can Tell You Fido's Makeup

Dr. Debbye Turner Discusses Kits To Determine Which Breeds Are In Your Dog's Genes

(CBS)  Dogs that some people call "mutts" are properly known as mixed breeds, and millions of people have them and love them.

Up to 50 percent of dogs in America are mixed breeds, and many pet owners are curious about just who their "doggy's daddy" is.

Now, reports The Early Show veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner, science can identify the makeup of the mix.

It would seem DNA has gone to the dogs!

Thanks to a do-it-yourself genetics kit from MMI Genomics, says Turner, you can now learn which breeds are in your dog.

The Canine Heritage Breed test, she says, can accurately identify 38 canine breeds right now, but that will be expanding next month to at least 115.

Owners simply swab the inside of their dog's cheek, fill out an application, and mail it all back to MMI.

The test could help owners and veterinarians watch for breed-specific problems, by knowing that a certain breed of dog is at risk, Turner observes.

The test costs $65 dollars plus shipping and handling, and it takes four to six weeks to get results. The next version of the test will be a little pricier.

To watch Turner's full report, click here.

For much more on the test, visit the MMI Web site of MetaMorphix, Inc., at this address: www.metamorphixinc.com.

[banidida]

I agree that mutts are great family dogs. However I do not agree that people should feel obligated to prevent their mutts from procreating. Mutts avoid most of the health problems faced by purebreeds.
My mutt is a product of natural selection-dogs that survived long enough to breed, did.
My mutt is spayed simply because I didn't want her to contribute to the over population of starving and abused dogs that are prevalent throughout Nicaragua where she was born. She is a beautiful creature and very healthy. I'd take her any day over a purebreed.

[nothappyatall]

Like most veterinarians, Dr Hahn DVM mentions the higher incidence of testicular and mammary cancer in intact animals, but also notes that spayed females have a 4 times greater risk of cardiac hemangiosarcomas, and neutered males also show a significant increased risk for this cancer compared to intact ones.

Another cancer Dr Hahn discusses that deserves mention is prostate cancer because a lot of people erroneously believe that castration prevents this. In reality, it does not. In fact, castrated dogs have up to a 4 times greater risk of developing prostate cancer than intact animals. At the same time, spayed or neutered dogs have a 1.5 to 3 times greater chance of developing bladder cancer.

The link between sterilization and osteosarcoma (i.e. bone cancer) is also troubling: Spayed and neutered animals are twice as likely to develop this cancer. Those spayed or castrated before their first birthdays had a roughly 1 in 4 lifetime risk for osteosarcoma and were significantly more likely to develop a tumor than intact dogs.
Myrna Milani, DVM

Full page:
www.mmilani.com/commentary-200509.html

A study demonstrated that sterilized dogs (males and females) have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism than intact females.

the consequences and side effects to spay-neuter;

www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

[nothappyatall]

web.hebergement.com/~pelagus2/animal/v02.html

Mary C. Wakeman, D.V.M.
Ashford Animal Clinic Canine Fertility Center
269 Mansfield Road
Ashford, CT

...It is no longer medically justifiable to castrate dogs for prevention of cancer. The overwhelming mass of data to the contrary can no longer be ignored, and publications are out there so that no veterinarian can use the excuse of ignorance. Castration predisposes to highly malignant prostatic cancer.
Nearly all dogs afflicted with this nasty tumor are neutered individuals.

Castration is the search for the "quick fix" for people who don't wish to invest the time and effort necessary to care for their dogs properly.
With large breeds, early castration often results in an animal with an insufficient breadth of chest for orthopedic health. Seeing the number of giant breeds that I do, I am very aware of the tragic effects of castration on young males. The narrow chests which result are inadequate to support the weight that so many neutered animals, male or female, put on. These dogs then have to develop a 'toe-out' stance, with valgus deformity of the carpus, in an attempt to broaden their base for weight bearing. Once you've seen the harm caused by this practice in person, you quickly change that 'knee-jerk' reaction so often seen, of 'neuter everything that breathes'

[nothappyatall]

Spay-neuter is a fraud perpetuated on pet owners by the animal rights terrorists who want to eliminate pet ownership.
PeTA has been quoted; "neuter neuter neuter until our pathetic version fo the cat is EXTINCT" they have said similar sentiments towards dogs.

Spaying causes spay incontinence and neutering increases the risk of prostate cancers and other health problems in males.

see neutering.org

Dr Mary Wakeman DVM has also published an article on this.

[profkathie]

I have a goldendoodle that looks identical to Reggie. Harry, that lab is WRONG! What did they say Reggie was?

[beadazzle]

Spay & Neuter. If the dog is not of show quailty breed,then there's no reason in the world we should be breeding dogs just for the gain of money and actually when you think about it by the time you feed them pups and shots are aquired and by the time they are ready for sell,you've lost a lot of your money.

With more and more dogs running in packs,mostly due to a *** in heat and an alfa male in the pack,they are resorting back to their original make up of dogs of the wild and there are more and more cases of people and or children being attacked by a pack of dogs.

Mutts are great family dogs and not everyone wants a purbred or a show dog,but we must pratice conservation and get dogs spayed a neutered,so if they do get loose and wind up in a pack atleast they won't be having puppy's.

[hawksprings]

So when will they have this for Humans?
I want to know what different breeds I am too. All I know now is that I'm a mutt.

...

[banidida]

I apologize for the many posts. This was my first time posting and each time I tried to publish it said "not available" I couldn't see that it was posted this many times.
Try having a little patience for those who are new at this.

[godseyesore-2009]

banidida, we get the message...stop posting.
Do you have any patience at all?

[harrietjames]

I'm no expert, but Reggie looks like my soft coated wheaten terrier. The coat is a bit different but there are several variations in the wheaten coat.