What to Expect When Preserving Your Pet’s DNA

So you are interested in preserving your dog or cat’s DNA, but not sure how to go about it or what to expect? Guess what?! You’re not alone. I had the same questions, as I’m sure many others do. After all, we are pet parents, not scientists. 😉

Step 1 – Talk to your Veterinarian

If you’re like me and know that you are ready to proceed with preserving your pet’s DNA, before you order your kit, you should talk with your Veterinarian. You need to be sure that your Veterinarian is comfortable with performing the tissue biopsy. While the procedure itself is not harmful, it does require your Veterinarian to perform a short medical procedure. If you see a mobile Veterinarian for instance, he/she may not have the correct setup for the procedure. Also, there are many Veterinarians that only practice routine care. If for any reason your Veterinarian cannot perform the tissue biopsy, ViaGen Pets can help you locate a ViaGen Pets Veterinary Partner in your area.

Step 2 – Order your ViaGen Biopsy Kit

Here we go. This is when the fun begins. After you’ve spoken with your Veterinarian and are ready to proceed with the tissue biopsy, you can order your ViaGen Genetic Preservation Kit. It is simple to order, just checkout online as you would with any other internet purchase, except this one is more exciting! After you have purchased your biopsy kit, you will receive an email from a ViaGen representative containing an Agreement for you to sign electronically. A ViaGen representative will also discuss your shipping options with you. You may choose to have your biopsy kit sent to Veterinarian’s office or to you directly. If you choose to receive the kit yourself, you need to make sure you are home to receive it, as the vials need to be put into the refrigerator right away and the freezer packs need to be refrozen.  

I chose to have the biopsy kit shipped directly to me at my home. This was so I could be 100% sure that the vials were properly stored. Not that I do not trust my Veterinarian’s office, I just know that it can get very busy at the front desk for the employees. This might be something you need to consider when deciding where to have your kit shipped too. The kit itself will be shipped FedEx Overnight. Your ViaGen representative will give you a tracking number once it has shipped.

Step 3 – Properly store your biopsy kit

If you decide to have the biopsy kit shipped directly to you, it is of utmost importance that you properly store the kit until your appointment with your Veterinarian. Within the biopsy kit package, you will find detailed instructions on how you should properly store everything. As you can see in the photos below, ViaGen does an excellent job of outlining what everything is and how it should be stored.

Step 4 – Take the entire kit to your Veterinarian

When I say take the entire kit, I mean the entire kit, packaging and all. I even took packaging tape just in case they needed it. The box your biopsy kit arrived in will be the same box that your Veterinarian uses to ship the biopsies back to the ViaGen labs in. The vials should not be pulled out the refrigerator but for 30 minutes before you open them. It is imperative that you inform your Veterinarian or their staff that it needs to be put into the refrigerator and ice packs in the freezer should the procedure not start immediately.  

Should you have any questions or problems, your ViaGen representative will be there to help you every step of the way. Anytime I’ve ever had a question, I send an email and immediately get a response.

This is just the beginning of our fun journey. Our next update will detail Bruce Wayne’s biopsy procedure. We will go in depth about the procedure and about the options that ViaGen offers. We invite you to continue on this journey with us as we preserve Bruce Wayne’s fluffy DNA! 🙂