Is your dog or cat the center of your world? Do you do everything possible to keep them safe and healthy? Are they the goodest, most perfect creature in the whole wide universe?
Chances are, if you’re a pet owner, the answer to at least one if not all of the above questions is yes. Which is why you should know that a whole team of veterinarians, scientists and data specialists working on the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK™ is banking on your support to help keep thousands of pets just like yours healthy and happy. Mars is inviting participation in the first pet biobank of its kind, to help gather real-world insights into pets’ behavior and health.
Read on for everything you need to know about the program, including how to get your pet involved.
What is the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK?
An effort to better understand the various illnesses and issues that affect pets, it was designed to monitor a large pool of data derived from medical samples and other information, collected from participating dogs and cats to inform scientific research. By 2032, Mars aims to enroll 20,000 pets (10,000 dogs and 10,000 cats), making it the biggest and most comprehensive real-world study of its kind. And unlike some biobanks that have focused only on particular diseases or species, the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK is open to all healthy dogs and cats.
“With this innovative take on biobanks, more pet owners than ever can help change the future of pet care — and there’s power in numbers,” says Dottie Brown, MS, DVM, DACVS, vice president of science and healthcare innovation at Mars Veterinary Health. “The more pets that enroll in the program, the better understanding we’ll have of pet health conditions, which has the potential to enable improved preventive care and treatments down the line.”
How can I get my pet involved?
If you live in the United States and have a healthy dog or cat that’s already a patient at one of Mars Veterinary Health’s participating Banfield Pet Hospital, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Pet Hospital or VCA Animal Hospitals locations, your pet may be eligible to participate in the program. To get started, just fill out this short form.
How does the program work?
By following the health of these animals throughout their lives — and utilizing innovative technology from across the Mars ecosystem — it will amass a treasure trove of actionable scientific data.
If your furry pal is accepted into the program, here's what you can expect:
- You’ll be invited to a free annual veterinary exam at your participating Mars Veterinary Health–affiliated hospital. As part of the checkup, your veterinary team will collect blood and feces samples; both will be processed, tested and stored at Mars-owned Antech Diagnostics.
- Your veterinary team will swab the inside of your pet’s cheek to collect a sample for Mars’s Wisdom Panel DNA test.
- Following the first appointment, owners of participating dogs will be able to apply for a free Whistle health device (also from Mars), which will collect more health data as your pet goes about the daily business of snoozing, eating, playing and generally being the best pup.
- You’ll have the occasional fun bit of homework, too, filling out a regular online questionnaire to give researchers a better idea of your pet’s diet and lifestyle.
- With your prior permission, the teams analyzing all this data will have access to your pet’s medical records to inform their studies. (All information will be anonymized.)
What are the benefits of joining?
In addition to the free annual checkup, you’ll get an e-gift card after each visit to thank you for participating. And if you know nothing about the family history of your adorable mixed-breed cat or dog, the free Wisdom Panel test can identify breed and genetic markers for health disorders, giving you a head start on preventive measures to discuss with your veterinarian.
Likewise, the Whistle dog-health device — also free of charge — isn’t just for Mars researchers. It shares its data with you via an app, including easily digestible nuggets of information to help you better feed, exercise and care for your dog.
But the biggest incentive of all? The satisfaction of knowing you may be helping make not only your pet, but also future pets, healthier and happier. That’s a legacy you and your faithful BFF can always be proud of.
Ready to join the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK? To get started, fill out this short form.
