Mars Veterinary Health is celebrating the third anniversary of the world’s most comprehensive real-world study of pets: the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK™. Why? This ambitious project is gathering information from up to 20,000 cats and dogs over a decade to find new ways to keep our pets—and future generations of pets—healthy.
With more than 4,000 pets enrolled through our participating Banfield, BluePearl, and VCA hospitals in the U.S. to date, this growing database paves the way for groundbreaking discoveries in pet health and advances our shared Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.
The Biobank is already contributing to clinical research, including a new genetic discovery: a gene variant that increases the risk of canine atopic dermatitis (cAD)—a painful condition affecting up to 10–30% of dogs.
Using data from 1.2 million dogs, the study combined DNA samples from Wisdom Panel™, expertise and insights from our connected global network of clinics, including health data from Banfield Pet Hospital Optimum Wellness Plans, and verification from Linnaeus veterinary experts, along with samples from the Biobank to confirm findings.
This powerful data mix led to the detection of the SLAMF1 variant in 71% of French Bulldogs and 40% of Boxers in the study, including that dogs with this variant were twice as likely to develop cAD. This is the first time this gene has been linked to this condition in any species.
This is just one example of the revelations we can uncover with data-driven insights, with this finding potentially leading to better breeding and more personalized care.
To learn more, read the full article here, co-authored by our head of Science and Healthcare Innovation, Dr. Dottie Brown.
