I really don't see the point. My dog is my dog is my dog (times 3). Same with the cats (again, times 3). The dogs are from breeders, and I'm sure they are what they are purported to be. If not, or if there's some other dna in their lines, so what? What am I going to do, toss them out and tell them to hit the road? The cats? We know roughly what they are - mostly. But they are all shelter cats, and so there's probably, oh, I don't know, a 100% chance that there's other breeds in their history. Again, so what? Should I wag my finger at them and complain that they are not a proper Maine Coon, or whatever?

This is a first world problem that really isn't a problem at all. Why should vet indulge their human customers if their practice demands their full time and attention to the health of the animals. In the 30-some years I've had my pets, never once has a vet lamented that he wished he had a full dna profile so that he could treat my pets appropriately.

Maybe I'll change my mind when I read the article, but this just seems pointless.

If it were merely to give one ancestry and breed type findings as with ancestry.com does for humans, there would be no issue.

they have little to no evidence to validate their genetic risks of various health conditions, but they are making big $$ off of the confusion.

these tests are actually more useful than actual diagnosis and treatment, the only point is proving your basset hound is really a basset hound.

You're right. My pets, cats and dogs, have all been rescues, strays, mutts and mongrels with no family history and have been exactly what they should have been-- wonderful furry family members.

That said, some behavior might be explained by knowing. Or a pedigreed dog's papers are questioned for breeding purposes. Or, as you stated, some breeds are genetically more susceptible to some diseases, and knowing would make diagnosis easier.
I can think of no other reasons at the moment.

I did it because he is a rescue, and when I picked him up he was 4.9 pounds (severely undernourished). They did not know how old he was, but thought perhaps 2 years old.

I brought him home & loved the dickens out of him, but my vet chided me about his weight (he was 7.5 pounds at that time). He insisted I was overfeeding him, I insisted I was not.

I ordered a DNA test from chewy.com & it came back as being 62% chihuahua, 25% cocker spaniel, & remainder mixed. He gets his heft from the cocker (and his cute nose). He's now 11 pounds & holding after 3 1/2 years.

He's a cute little guy, rescue from a shelter and looks like a terrier, but we're really not sure exactly what he is - and he's developed a skin condition so I'm hoping this may be helpful. Good to know this helps research!

Not validated at all, or at best weakly validated... and lead to rampant fear and demands for preventive treatment that may not even exist.

These (in many cases) are CHARLATANS taking advantage of the confusion they generate. When I see blog after blog and website after website of self-described pet (or human health) "experts who have no credentials whatsoever, but seem to exist to bemoan and diminish faith in actual qualified medical and veterinary practitioners, it makes my blood boil.

Caveat emptor! (Buyer beware)

(Breed Specific Legislation) then proof that your dog was not a 'pitbull' (and oh God do I hate anti pit-bull people, with my whole heart and soul) could be useful.