VOA慢速英语2019--Dog DNA Testing on the Rise

 

More and more Americans are examining their own genetic¹ information to find answers about health issues and family history.

And more and more are also doing the same for their dogs.

Genetic testing for dogs has increased in recent years. Several companies offer in-home DNA² tests that are similar to those designed for humans.

These tests offer a deep look at an animal’s genetic history. The tests require just a small amount of material collected from inside a dog’s mouth.

More than 1 million dogs have been tested in the last 10 years.

The growing popularity of the tests has led to debate about their abilities and limitations. But to many dog owners, DNA tests are a good way to get to know their beloved pets.

Lisa Topol of New York has two dogs: Plop and Schmutzy. Both competed in this year’s Westminster Kennel³ Club dog show. The two animals are mixed-breed, meaning their genetic history includes many different kinds of dog. Topol recently had both dogs genetically⁴ tested. She told the Associated Press that the results “put some pieces of the puzzle together.”

The company Embark⁵ became Westminster’s first DNA-testing partner last fall. The move is likely to bring the company more attention, especially from people who raise dogs professionally.

Embark’s test results showed what Topol already believed: her high-energy dogs are more Australian cattle dog than anything else. But part of Schmutzy’s genetic information showed some unexpected things, including large amounts of Labrador retriever and Doberman pinscher.

Topol was surprised at first. But then she noted⁶ Schmutzy does walk like a Doberman and shares Labradors’ love of water.

Topol said the results “make me understand them better.”

The testing of dog DNA goes back over 20 years. In the past, it was mostly done to test for medical conditions and other purposes. But the industry grew quickly in 2005, after scientists mapped a full set of dog genes⁷ and published the results.

Wisdom Health launched a breed-identification test in 2007. The company added a health examination a few years later and says it has now tested over 1.1 million dogs worldwide.

The tests have led to greater research possibilities. They also have helped animal rescue groups; they can use DNA results to help possible owners know more about their dogs. DNA can also be used as proof that a dog’s family history only includes one breed, and help breeders end some common diseases.

The technology has even been used to identify dogs whose owners do not pick up their waste. It has helped in dog biting investigations⁸. It proved, for example, that a Belgian Malnois dog accused of killing⁹ a Pomeranian was innocent.

Some veterinarians – or doctors for animals – feel that DNA testing improves care. Ernie Ward¹⁰ is a veterinarian and television performer in North Carolina. He recommends that owners test all young dogs.

“I want to know as much about my patients as possible,” said Ward.

But not all animal experts agree with Ward. Last year, a Boston-based veterinarian and two scientists wrote comments that appeared in the science publication Nature.

“Pet genetics must be reined¹¹ in,” they wrote. Their comments started with a troubling story. The owner of a pug understood the results of her dog’s DNA test to mean that she had a rare brain disorder¹² that would only worsen over time. With that information, the owner decided¹³ to end the dog’s life.

Lisa Moses is the veterinarian who helped write the criticism in Nature. She argued that the pug’s illness could have been something more treatable.

“These (tests) should be used in a limited way until we get a lot more information,” Moses said.

One concern is that tests can show genetic conditions that are linked to disease in some breeds but have unknown effects in the breed being tested. This means the tests in themselves cannot necessarily tell pet owners how much they should worry. They also cannot tell professional dog breeders whether or not a dog should reproduce.

But test companies say their work offers many benefits and useful information, such as whether a dog’s genes suggest bad reactions to some medicines.

For Rennie Pasquinelli, the benefit is a new way of looking at her dog, Murray. The pet adoption¹⁴ agency told Pasquinelli that Murray was a mix between border collie and Boston terrier. But an Embark test last month identified only a small amount of border collie mixed with six other breeds. It found no Boston terrier at all.

“Obviously I don’t love him more, or less,” Pasquinelli said. “It’s like when you know something new about someone. That doesn’t negatively or positively¹⁵ change your opinion on them, but you still look at them in a different way.”

I’m Susan Shand.

And I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) – n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals

pet(s) – n. an animal, such as a dog, cat, bird, or fish, that people keep mainly for pleasure

breed – n. a particular kind of dog, cat, or horse

pieces of the puzzle together - idm. to make sense of something by analyzing¹⁶ multiple pieces of information and drawing a conclusion

reined in – p.v. to limit or control someone or something

benefit(s) – n. a good or helpful result or effect

adoption – n. the act or process of taking a pet or child of other parents legally as your own

1 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

2 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

3 kennel   

n.狗舍，狗窝

参考例句：

• Sporting dogs should be kept out of doors in a kennel.猎狗应该养在户外的狗窝中。
• Rescued dogs are housed in a standard kennel block.获救的狗被装在一个标准的犬舍里。

4 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

5 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

11 reined   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• Then, all of a sudden, he reined up his tired horse. 这时，他突然把疲倦的马勒住了。
• The officer reined in his horse at a crossroads. 军官在十字路口勒住了马。

12 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

13 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

14 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

15 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

16 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句