Basepaws Feline Genetic & Oral Microbiome Tests
The Feline Basepaws Baseline test screens for 64 genetic mutations associated with disease risk, plus provides a simple breed relativity overview, showing your feline patient's genomic similarity among 4 breed categories.
In addition, Basepaws offers an oral microbiome screening tool for dental disease risk in cats. Dental disease is a very common issue in cats. Compromised dental health has potential ill effects to overall health. Learn how this simple screening test can help you promote positive oral health in your feline patients.
See what genetic health risks may be hidden in your feline patients.
Cats are often masters of disguising health issues. Genetic testing can help reveal health risks, often before the onset of signs or advanced disease.
Basepaws developed the world's first feline breed relativity test using whole genome sequencing (WGS) which tells how similar a cat's genome is to different feline breeds. We currently test for 64 known feline genetic markers representative of 43 feline diseases using next-generation amplicon sequencing. Our oral microbiome test uses shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyze over 600 relevant microbial species that can reveal risk of periodontal disease and tooth resorption.
Oral Microbiome: Dental Disease Risk Scores
High to medium risk scores help veterinary teams convey the need for oral examination & dental procedures to their clients, while low risk scores help emphasize lifestyle recommendations at-home care, and dental wellness. Take a look at a sample report to see how risk is visually represented and how easy it is to communicate to your clients.
The Predictive Power of the Oral Microbiome
Understanding and managing feline dental disease risk can provide both health and quality of life benefits for patients and clients.
The state of the oral microbiome can reveal information about the health of tissues in the mouth and point to potential dental and gum diseases, as studies in both human and companion animals have shown. While most direct-to-consumer microbiome tests use 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Basepaws uses shotgun metagenomic sequencing to capture complete genomes of organisms, not restricting to only bacteria.
By identifying relevant organisms within the oral cavity, disease risk for common feline periodontal disease & tooth resorption can be determined. Studies on feline stomatitis are in clinical review and will be added to this comprehensive dental disease screening test in the near future.
Basepaws is also investigating the unique microbial compositions and signals in cats with chronic kidney disease. If you are interested in participating in clinical research, please check out our research page for more information.