While the seasonal hustle and bustle is gone, some of us are waiting on bated breath for DNA test results to pop up in our inboxes. DNA tests, which can reveal ancestral lineage, health information, genetic markers, and more, have become a popular gift choice. And let’s be real—who wouldn’t want to know if they’re related to royalty? (Spoiler alert: if you’re of Celtic lineage, like me, you’ve got a good shot.)

But, I’ve dated myself; that was so 2017. Today, DNA testing has a new target audience: fur parents. Yes, you. You, who anthropomorphize your fur baby(ies), spend more money on them than yourself, and tear up when you think of the first time you laid eyes on them (I’m not crying, you’re crying).

DNA tests for pets sound a lot like the ones people buy for members of their own species. Get that saliva in a tube, mail it in, and when the results arrive, read on for breed history and genetic variants. Not everything is the same, though.

One difference between the pet and human DNA-testing industries may be accuracy. Some testing companies may have fewer breeds of your pet’s species in their databases, which limits their ability to provide accurate results. One reason is that not enough research regarding animal genomes has been conducted, unlike the human genome, which has been, and continues to be, researched extensively.

Then, there’s the fact that, the pet DNA testing industry is largely unregulated, unlike human DNA-testing companies, which must follow strict rules regarding the information they can provide and how that information is delivered. This is because the data that participants are given may impact their mental state and future health decisions. (And that’s just health data. Imagine finding out your relatives aren’t your relatives.)

While pets can’t read their own DNA test results, they’re still affected by this dynamic. Veterinarians have attested to animal owners who want to pay for expensive, preventative medical therapies that their pet may not need, or even preemptively end their pet’s life. False positives and negatives are always a risk, too, which is why voluntary human participants and animal owners alike need to think seriously about whether or not they should obtain a DNA test and how they will act upon the data they receive.

There are positives to testing your pet’s genes—knowledge is power, after all. Breed information can be helpful for your veterinarian in monitoring for potential health problems as your pet ages. If you’re considering testing your pet’s DNA, or have already had it tested, it’s a good idea to include your veterinarian in the conversation. They can help advise your decision, and if you do go ahead with testing, they can help you interpret the results and, if necessary, consider next steps.