WISDOM PANEL® Products Feature The Most Comprehensive Canine Breed Detection Available

New WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 Screens for More Than 200 Breed, Types and Varieties as well as potentially life-saving medical information!

WALTHAM ON THE WOLDS ? LEICESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For mixed-breed dog owners in the U.K., having access to reliable breed ancestry information can be critical for the nutrition, training and overall healthcare of their furry family members. Understanding the breeds that make up their dog can take the novelty of satisfying curiosity and enable much more targeted care and in some cases provide life-saving information.

Wisdom Health is the industry leader in canine genetic testing with the largest breed database on the market?12,000+ samples?and more than 750,000 tests performed worldwide. With the new WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 version, the company is launching the next evolution of the canine DNA test by expanding breed screening coverage to over 200 breeds, types and varieties and providing potentially life-saving medical information with an MDR1 genetic mutation test. MDR1 or Multi-Drug Resistance 1 is a genetic mutation found in some herding and sighthound breeds, as well as many mixed-breed dogs. Dogs with the MDR1 mutation may have severe adverse reactions to some common drugs. Although the mutation is most closely associated with some purebreds, it can also be found in mixed-breed dogs; therefore it is important for owners of mix-breeds to test their dogs and to share the results with their veterinarian in order to provide their pet with the best possible care. The discovery of the MDR1 mutation in dogs was made by Washington State University and is licensed to Wisdom Health for commercial testing in the U.K.

"We know many people test their dogs to find out the breeds in their ancestry out of pure curiosity," says Wisdom Health General Manager Cindy Cole, PhD, DACVCP. "It's not until they get the results and start to really dig into what these breed findings mean that the owners have what we call an 'a-ha' moment; when the breeds found help to explain some of the behaviours, or even medical issues the dog may have been exhibiting. We are always investing in ways to provide owners with the best possible information to make informed decisions regarding the health and well-being of their canine companions. With the introduction of the MDR1 genetic mutation screening in the new WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 test, we're taking that to the next level."

The WISDOM PANEL® Technology Legacy
Mars has been on the forefront of canine genetics since their participation in the development of the Genomics Technology Platform in 2002. Wisdom Health launched its first canine breed detection test in the U.S. to consumers in 2007 via the veterinarian-administered, blood-based WISDOM PANEL® MX. The state-of-the-art swab tests WISDOM PANEL® 2.0, and new WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 canine DNA tests are all based on more than 15 years of extensive research, drawing from the expertise of leading scientists, veterinarians, universities and breed organisations throughout the world. The development of the WISDOM PANEL® tests included the analysis of more than 19 million DNA markers from more than 15,000 dogs across the United States and Great Britain. As a result, they are the most comprehensive breed analysis tests on the market, detecting the breed composition of a dog with unprecedented accuracy using the Wisdom Health proprietary processing algorithm.

The WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 test results include ancestry information back to the great-grandparent level, detailed breed information, MDR1 drug-sensitivity screening results and a predicted adult weight profile. Testing is easy and can be done at home by rubbing two swabs (included in the kit) between the dog's gum and the cheek for 15 seconds to collect skin cells for DNA extraction. Approximately 2-3 weeks from the time the kit reaches the lab owners will receive a link to view their dog's results at their very own, customised web site. The WISDOM PANEL® 3.0 test with breed detection and drug-sensitivity screening (MDR1) is available exclusively at www.wisdompanel.co.uk for £75.

For more information about MDR1 screening and the new Wisdom Paneltm 3.0 canine DNA test, visit www.WisdomPanel.co.uk, or join the conversation on Facebook/DoggieDNA, on Twitter @WisdomPanel and on Instagram @WisdomPanel.

About Wisdom Health
Wisdom Health is a business unit of Mars Petcare, the U.S. operations of the world's largest pet care company at the privately-held Mars, Incorporated. Its mission is facilitating responsible pet care by enhancing the well-being and relationship between pets, pet owners and veterinarians through valuable insights into pets as individuals. For nearly a decade, Wisdom Health (formerly Mars Veterinary) has researched and developed state-of-the-art genetic tests for mixed-breed dogs, revolutionising personalised pet care. By discovering a mixed-breed dog's ancestry, pet owners and veterinarians can work together to tailor wellness programmes that fit the one-of-a-kind needs of a mixed-breed dog. For more information, visit www.wisdompanel.co.uk.

About Mars, Incorporated
Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world's best-loved brands: M&M's®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5tm, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN'S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles ? Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom ? inspire its more than 85,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

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