ABSTRACT OF THE WEEK

The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small animal practice
Volume 50 | Issue 5 (September 2020)

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing for Domestic Cats.

Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. September 2020;50(5):991-1000.

Leslie A Lyons¹, Reuben M Buckley²

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, E109 Vet Med Building, 825 East Campus Loop, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Electronic address: Lyonsla@Missouri.edu.; ² Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, E109 Vet Med Building, 825 East Campus Loop, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.

Abstract

The era of precision/genomic medicine has arrived, including its application within veterinary medicine for the health care of companion animals. The plummeting costs of assaying large groups of genetic tests into one panel has led many laboratories offering direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for animals, including cats. However, proper education of the consumer and the veterinarian is lacking, causing a significant lack of genetic counseling pertaining to the results of the genetic tests. This article addresses the current state of DTC testing in domestic cats and the implications for veterinary care.

Keywords

DTC; Direct to consumer; Genetic testing; Genomic testing; Precision medicine;

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