>> Lisa: WELL, WHEN YOU VISIT AN ANIMAL SHELTER, LOOKING TO MAKE A NEW FURRY FRIEND, YOU’RE
PROBABLY LOOKING TO PICK THE
PERFECT PET FOR YOUR FAMILY.
>> Ginger: SOME FAMILIES LIKE TO
KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THEIR
LOVABLE MUTT LIKE IF THEY’RE
PRONE TO ENTER ANY MEDICAL
CONDITIONS.
SO ENTER THE WORLD OF PET D.N.A.
TESTS.
ADRIANA EVASHINSKI WENT TO THE
EXPERTS TO SEE IF THE TESTS GET
RESULTS AND IF ALL ARE THE SAME.
>> Reporter: NEWS 6 PRODUCER
ERIN RESCUED HER DOG, PENNY,
FROM THE POUND AND REALLY WANTED
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT MAKES
PENNY, PENNY.
>> SHE’S ADORABLE BUT EVERYBODY
ASKS US WHAT BREED SHE IS.
>> Reporter: SO ERIN DECIDED TO
DO TWO DOGGIE D.N.A. TESTS ON
PENNY AND ONE WAS THE EMBARK
TEST WHICH COSTS $199 AND
ANOTHER COSTS $50 LESS.
THEY SCREEN FOR MORE THAN 150
GENETIC HEALTH CONDITIONS.
>> ANYTHING I CAN DO TO PREVENT
HER FROM GETTING SICK IN THE
FUTURE IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
>> Reporter: SHE SWABBED PENNY’S
CHEEK AND STUCK IT IN A TEST
TUBE AND SENT IT TO A LAB.
WITHIN TWO WEEKS SHE GOT THE
RESULTS BACK.
SHE WAS SURPRISED THEY WERE A
LITTLE DIFFERENT.
>> THE BREEDS ARE SOME
SIMILARITIES BUT THE GUESSES FOR
WHAT THE BREEDS ARE TOTALLY
DIFFERENT.
>> Reporter: THE PERCENTAGES ARE
DIFFERENT.
>> Reporter: BOTH TESTS AGREE
LITTLE PENNY HERE IS PART
POODLE, PART CHIHUAHUA AND
MINIATURE PINSCHER.
BUT THEY DISAGREE WHAT ELSE SHE
COULD BE.
>> IT MAKES ME QUESTION HOW
EXACT OF A SCIENCE THIS IS.
>> Reporter: WE DECIDED TO TALK
TO THE EXPERTS OF THE SMALL
ANIMAL HOSPITAL AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF GAINESVILLE AND
TALKED WITH THE ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR, A VET WHO IS AN
EXPERT IN ANIMAL GENETICS.
CAN PET OWNERS TRUST THESE
RESULTS?
>> OVERALL, I WOULD SAY THEY CAN
BE TRUSTED YES.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS EACH TEST
VARIES BUT THESE TWO TESTS ARE
BASICALLY THE SAME SHE SAYS.
>> THEY CAN TEST FOR DISEASES
THAT INVOLVE HOW A DOG WOULD
BREAK DOWN MEDICATIONS OR
ANESTHETIC DRUGS AND ALSO TEST
FOR BLEEDING DISORDERS AS WELL.
>> Reporter: PET ALLIANCE HAD
THIS TO SAY ABOUT THESE DOGGIE
D.N.A. TESTS.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY’RE
FUN.
I DID IT ON MY DOG.
>> BUT THERE IS NO WAY A SHELTER
LIKE HIS CAN AFFORD TO RUN ONE
ON EVERY ANIMAL THEY HAVE.
AND SAYS FAMILIES LOOKING FOR A
PET NEED TO LOOK BEYOND A
SPECIFIC BREED.
SO WHAT DID THE DOGGIE D.N.A.
REVEAL ABOUT HIS DOG, MOLLY?
>> SHE’S A SHAR-PEI, DALMATIAN
AND A BULLDOG.
>> Reporter: AND KNOWING THE
BREED OF THEIR LOVABLE PETS
DOESN’T MAKE THEM LOVE THEM ANY
LESS.
>> THEY COMPARED SAMPLES FROM
KNOWN CARRIERS AND AT RISK DOGS
AND A TEAM OF VETS EXAMINED EACH
ONE OF THE RESULTS AND THEY BOTH
HAVE A 99% ACCURACY RATING.
THE MORE EXPENSIVE TESTS GIVE
YOU MORE INFORMATION BUT THE
DOCTOR SAYS BOTH GIVE US THE
SAME OVERALL PICTURE WHEN IT
COMES TO BOTH THE BREED AND THE
MEDICAL CONDITION.
>> Lisa: IT’S VERY INTERESTING.
>> Ginger: IT’S GOOD INFORMATION
TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE
A MEDICAL CONDITION.
I HEARD THE SHELTER SAYING WE
CAN’T AFFORD TO DO THIS FOR
EVERY SINGLE PET HERE.
I WOULD IMAGINE IT COULD GET A
LITTLE PRICEY.
>> Reporter: AND THE COST RANGE
IS ANYWHERE FROM $30 WITH A
GENETIC TEST WITH MULTIPLE
BRANDS UP THERE UP TO THAT $200
FIGURE AND THAT’S FOR THAT
EXTENSIVE MEDICAL PANELING.
>> Lisa: LIKE A HUMAN D.N.A.
TEST.
>> Reporter: YES, AND THERE’S A
MEDICAL TEST THAT TESTS FOR DRUG
ALLERGIES.
THAT COULD BE THE KEY.
DOGS AND CATS HAVE A
SENSITIVITY, IT COULD LEAD TO
THEM DYING IF THEY PUT TOO MUCH
MEDICINE IN ANESTHESIA AND STUFF