Shelby the Beagle/ Husky Mix

About a year ago, I found a site online that professed to determine what breeds make up your mutt. The test was called the Canine Heritage Breed test. I paid $85 and received a kit in the mail. Sending a picture was optional, according to the site. No way was I sending a picture. That would make it far too easy for them to cheat. I took what looked to be a tiny bottle brush to the inside of Shelby's cheek, which she didn't take too kindly to. After a brief wrestling match, I had my cheek swab, and we promptly put it in the mail. Three to four weeks later, we recieved the results. Beagle and Husky.

Now I'm no veterinarian, but I always assumed that she was a German Shepherd mix, with a hint of West texas jackrabbit (the ear gene) and Oprah Winfrey (the appetite) thrown in. Now, the Husky I can see, but the only thing that even slightly resembles a Beagle is her insatiable lust for chasing squirrels. I was less than satisfied with the fruits of my hard-earned $85.

Fast forward to Monday of this week. One of the many drug reps who frequent my place of business in order to bribe me into buying their latest, greatest product shows me a brochure for the new Wisdom Panel MX. This is the new gold standard, he says, for determining what breeds make up a mixed breed dog. Now where have I heard that before? I told him that I had tried something similar last year, and was less than convinced it was anything more than a scam. He explained to me the differences and answered most of my questions to my satisfaction. this was a blood DNA test instead of a cheek swab. That supposedly results in 3x the amount of DNA being extracted from the sample, making the test 90% accurate instead of 30-40% like a cheek swab.

Still I wasn't convinced. Then he started speaking my language: this was a test sold through veterinarians. In other words, I can make some money off this deal. I know for a fact that many of my clients would be interested in shelling out $150 to me for a test that tells them what Sparky is made of, genetically speaking. And the test only costs me $75. For the non math majors out there, that's a 100% markup. Me likey.

However, being the ethical veterinarian that I am, I could not in good conscience recommend this test to my clients without being sure that it is legit. Luckily for the clients of Lakeside Animal Clinic, I happen to have the perfect mutt/ guinea pig. If this test can convince me that it knows what breeds my lovely sort-of-German Shepherd-looking-but-with-short-legs-and-huge-ears-dog is made of, then I can wholeheartedly recommend this test to my clients.

So last night, with my beautiful wife serving as the technician, I drew some blood from Miss Shelby's left front leg. Of course, that was after ten minutes of chasing her around the house, because she has been to work with me enough to know when I am about to poke or prod her. After the blood draw, you would have thought we had just sliced off her leg, as she gingerly walked on it and licked it for two hours.

Anyway, into the mail today went the blood. In 3-4 weeks, we will see if this test performs any better than the previous one. I guess if it comes back that she is a Beagle/Husky Mix, I owe the Canine Heritage Company an apology. And I will start training Shelby to be the sled-pulling squirrel hunter she was born to be.

I'll let you know what we find out.