Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can Pawsitive I.D. ™ determine so much information from a simple cheek swab?
A. Through the miracle of DNA technology, that’s how. Click here to find out more about DNA testing.
Q. But how can Pawsitive I.D. ™ get so much more information than any other DNA product on the market?
A. Through the use of a cutting edge DNA technology called SNiP’s. This stands for Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms. Along with state of the art DNA testing instruments, the extraction of SNiP’s from a DNA sample enables Pawsitive I.D. ™ to test dynamicly for many inherent genetic diseases. These disease screenings were very expensive and time consuming. Until now. Click here for more information about SNiP’s
Q. What do we receive once our pet is tested?
A. You will receive your pet’s Certificate of Genotyping approximately 2 weeks after submission of the DNA sample. This certificate, suitable for framing, will have all information you provided on the Pet Profile and the results of the disease screening, DNA fingerprint, parentage verification (if applicable) and color trait information. This is the single most complete document you will ever have of your pet. If you are a breeder, there is a place where transfer of ownership information can be completed. This certificate is very much like the title to a car. It is your pet’s Pawsitive I.D. ™
Q. My pet has a microchip implant. Should I still get a DNA test?
A. Absolutely! Microchip implants are a great way to quickly identify your pet. AVID & HOME AGAIN are two of the most popular chips and they are good products. However, microchips are not 100% reliable. First, there are more than one standard in this industry. In order to read the chip, the vet, shelter, pound, etc must have the compatable scanner. If there is one type of standard used in the chip implant and another used in the scanner, the chip will be unreadable and useless. Another issue is that the implanted chips have been know to migrate in the body outside of the area in which it was implanted. This normally does not cause a health problem, but if the chip is not where it is supposed to be, it can’t be read. And then there is, although not a large pertentage, a known failure rate of the chip itself.
Do not hesitate to get a chip implanted. They are great products. They’re just not 100% reliable 100% of the time. A DNA fingerprint on the other hand is 100% reliable 100% of the time.
Q. What exactly is a DNA fingerprint?
A. A DNA fingerprint is literally your pet’s genetic serial number. The chances of another animal having the same DNA fingerprint is almost impossible (billions to one). Having this information gives pet owners the ability to absolutely identify their pet. Think about it. How can you legally identify your pet? Yes, neighbors and possibly you vet could vouch for you in court, but that still could prove problematic. Having a record of your dog or cat’s DNA fingerprint would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that your pet is "your pet". It really is you pet’s Pawsitive I.D.™
Q. Can a DNA fingerprint be used to quickly identify my pet?
A. No. It takes time to process the test. However, by special request, we could rush a sample though the system and have the results in 3 to 4 days.
Q. How long do you keep a record of my pet information?
A. Depending on the age of the pet when the sample is submitted, we will keep information in our secure database for up to 15 years.
Q. What types of disease screening does Pawsitive I.D. test for?
A. Click here for a list of current disease screenings and their definitions.
Q. How do I interpret the results?
A. In addition to the Certificate of genotyping, you will also receive an interpretation guide showing how to read the results and what they mean.
Click here to see the interpretive guide.
Q. The results are listed for my pet indicate she has tested either positive, negative or a carrier for the listed diseases. What does this mean?
A. Most dogs and cats will test negative. This means they do not carry the gene that causes the particular disease. Obviously, this is good news. Its also good information, particularly if you are a breeder, to know absolutely that your pet will not get the disease in the future. Unfortunately, some pets will test positive or as a carrier of the bad gene. A positive result means your dog or cat definitely has or will develop the disease in the future. A carrier means that your pet does not have the bad gene(s) but could pass them to future offspring if bred with an animal also being a carrier of the particular disease. See you vet immediately if your pet tests either positive or carrier for any listed disease.
Q. What is Parentage Verification?
A. If you need to verify that the puppy or kitten that you are testing is indeed the offspring of a particular mother or father, the Pawsitive I.D.™ product can do that for no additional charge. We will need to have dna results in our system of the mother and father in order to accommodate this request.
