Several years ago I came up with a great idea: put a GPS tracking device on a dog collar. Any dog wearing the collar could be found easily by the people who love him. I would become rich and retire to a tropical island. Laziness got the best of me. I never developed the product. As the recent news about Vladimir Putin’s dog illustrates, someone else will probably get rich off of the idea.
Fortunately, I had another million dollar idea. People who bring mixed-breed dogs to my hospital often ask me what type of dog they have. I thought of a way to give them the answer. Collect a saliva swab or other sample from a mixed-breed dog. Use DNA analysis to determine the mix of breeds in the dog. Get rich, buy a tropical island, and retire. Surely nobody else would ever think of that one!
Alas, it looks like retirement is a ways off. Mars Veterinary (a subsidiary of Mars, Inc.), has announced the release of the Wisdom Panel (TM). Based on the information I have seen, their test is the same as mine would have been. I have been scooped again–by the makers of Twix bars!
People who are curious about the mix of breeds in their dog can now get an answer. As well as satisfying people’s curiosity, the test may provide insight into pets’ expected behavior patterns and medical predispositions.
It is a great idea, if you ask me.
