The method currently used to measure mineral content in hair is called the inductively coupled plasma method. We usually suggest collecting about one inch of hair closest to your dog’s skin as it reflects a time frame of the past four to six months.For short hair dogs, we collect the whole hair length.

The hair sample is then heated to extremely high temperatures until it ‘dissolves’ into individual mineral ions that are measured by the mass spectrometer. This method quantifies the presence of individual minerals with an extreme accuracy of one billionth per part. It is a perfect way to get a very good sense of what is missing in your dog’s diet and what toxins are present.

Samples typically take a few weeks to reach our PO Box in North Vancouver, as at times they must also pass through customs. We pick up from the post office on a weekly basis in batches, and once your sample is received we will notify you via email. Once you get that email you can expect to receive your dog's results from us via email within 4-8 weeks, depending on how busy the lab is.

The lab thoroughly washes all hair samples that come in for canine testing, so there is no need to wash your dog before cutting the hair sample unless he or she is very dirty. If you use a medicated shampoo, please be aware that some shampoos contain elements that can be absorbed into the hair follicle and may appear at a high level without being present in the body. For example, some shampoos contain zinc.

The HairQ test is very sensitive and the use of plated scissors will contaminate the hair specimen with many of the metallic elements. Sampling scissors should be made of high-grade stainless steel or plastic in order to avoid micro-contamination of the hair. This factor cannot be emphasized enough in order to avoid reporting inaccurate test results. Most standard kitchen scissors are made of high-grade stainless steel.
Approximately one full tablespoon or 125 mg by weight of cut hair is required for the testing. The hair must be cut, and cannot be shed/dead hair.

With short hair dogs, it is okay to collect samples from all over the body. You can collect samples where the hair is slightly longer than the rest, such as the back of the legs, neck and chest area.  The hair still needs to be cut with scissors to ensure no contamination.  Electric razors cannot be used as they contain a lubricating oil that will be transferred to the hair contaminating the sample.