How do I collect a saliva sample with the swab-and-drying-bag kit?

Follow your kit’s leaflet. Instructions are also available through the leaflet’s QR code and at kokogenetics.com/welcome. 

Before you start: 

  • Register the kit in your account. 

  • Your pet must not eat or drink, even water, for the 60 minutes beforehand. 

  • Do not touch the swab’s white head or let it touch any surface. 

  • During those 60 minutes, prevent your pet from licking other animals or sharing food bowls or toys. 

  • If your pet’s mouth is dry, gently massage their cheeks to stimulate saliva production. 

  • Make sure your pet does not bite or swallow the swab, and keep the kit out of children’s reach. 

Collecting the sample: 

  1. Open the wrapper at the indicated end and remove the swab without touching the white head. 

  1. Rub firmly against the inside of the cheek or beneath the upper or lower lip for at least 60 seconds. Follow the specified timing and technique: insufficient DNA is the most common reason samples fail. 

  1. Insert the swab into the drying bag, white head first, without letting it touch any surface, so that the head sits in the drying area. 

  1. Fold the bag along the fold line with the transparent side facing inwards and seal it with the green barcode label. 

  1. Place the bag in the mailing envelope or box supplied with your kit. Do not add any other envelopes or boxes. 

  1. Print and attach the prepaid label emailed after registration and take the package to the specified drop-off point. Only use our labels; do not arrange your own postage. 

Until posting, keep the sample at room temperature in a cool, dry place. The bag tolerates temperatures up to 40 °C and 60% humidity, although cooler, drier conditions preserve DNA better.