I was touring Fred Hutch Cancer research center in Seattle for a social science project awhile ago and was introduced to their dna cancer investigation projects. Part of this project included the dog genome project. I was fascinated to put it lightly.

So I waited for the genome project results as they slowly became public and was thrilled that it was indeed bearing fruit that was open for access to the public instead of squirreled away by some private lab. Then I noticed that they were doing a call for dna samples from various breeds, the papillon and labs included. Since papillons are almost never included in studies or available dna tests I contacted the researcher who was thrilled that I reached out and sent me some test sample kits for the three unrelated dogs who would be participating.

The upside:
Great communication/gratitude from the research staff
Fairly inexpensive on my side of things. Total cost to me was $7 for priority shipping.
My dogs are helping create a breed profile that will be accessible for everyone and will be hopefully part of the all breed profile in the future.
Hopefully improved testing in the future for my dogs.
My dogs will remain anonymous for good or bad.
Any AKC or FSS dog of a needed breed can participate, no matter the health, age, intact, or breeding. In fact if a dog does have a diagnosed disorder all the better for the research.
The results are real peer reviewed science into understanding dog genetics and help human and canine cancer research.
The research staff was incredibly patient and was more than happy to wait for my dogs to go in for a routine physical to have the sample sent in months later.

The downside:
You don't get to know the results for your specific dog.
This is a blood submission with a included preservative so no coolant required but isn't quite as easy as the cheek swab submissions.
You don't get to know which profiles the data will be used for. Once part of the sample for the breed forever part of the sample.
It does require a small cash donation on my side of things for shipping and possibly the cost of the blood draw.

If anyone else is interested in finding out more or seeing some of the projects being worked on http://research.nhgri.nih.gov/dog_genome/info_for_dog_owners/index.shtml

Way to go, Melissa! Very cool for you to let your dogs participate in this important research.

As always, you do such a great job of detailing the pros/cons of a situation.

leih

Many of us will be getting heartworm checks this spring. It wouldn't be hard to just pull an extra bit of blood for this project.

They need samples from healthy dogs and from ones with problems.

Once the genome is sequenced, perhaps we can start addressing the various genetic ills our dogs -- Shepherds and others, are often afflicted with.

You know they really didn't need much blood (thank goodness for my little dogs.) I think I sent them 4 - 5 ml. They send two full tubes but they really didn't need all that much.