Availability of DNA tests

Mutations that are described and validated in one breed can also be found in other breeds. This is often no longer published in scientific articles. The occurrence of these mutations in other breeds is determined by laboratories that carry out the tests. It is not easy to determine how reliable a certain test is for a particular breed.

The above basis applies in general to hereditary diseases. Of course inheritance of a disease remains a biological process, which means exceptions can occur. The specific information for a test describes the notes that may apply.

Our tests do not make recommendations on breeding decisions

Our DNA tests offer you insight into the composition of your animal’s DNA. If possible, we will try to inform you of the optimal choice of tests for your personal situation. You should be aware that our laboratories are not responsible for the breeding decisions that you take. This is due to the complexity of the variation in tests and breeds. We recommend that, for advice concerning breeding decisions, you contact your international or national breed association or vet.

Within a combination package, a single result for a DNA test may be missing from the report

For technical reasons, it is possible that a low percentage of results may be missing if a combination package is requested. If only one or two of the markers within a combination package are missing after retesting, we consider a combination package ‘fully reported’. No refund will be provided for missing tests within a combination package.

Combination packages are not 100% complete

Due to the large number of publications in the scientific literature, our combination packages can never be 100% complete. We update the packages twice a year. Typical criteria are: a) changes to the breeds in which a DNA test has been validated, b) the type of disease and c) technical criteria.

There is never a fool-proof link between test results and disease symptoms

In general, our tests are based on scientific publications. In these articles, a disease or condition is described with detailed information about the symptoms and background of the DNA test. We cannot prevent an animal from developing symptoms on the basis of other, unknown genetic mutations or provide a guarantee on this. On the other hand, a disease will not always lead to symptoms, for various reasons. We therefore recommend that you contact your local or international breed association, Management Board or vet for breeding or veterinary advice.