In the event of a change of heart leading to the decision not to proceed with the test, a complete refund of the payment is assured. Nevertheless, should you choose to proceed and conduct the test, it’s important to note that refunds will not be provided. If services have not been rendered, we can certainly refund your money.

HTMA stands for Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. HTMA is a test that analyzes the mineral content and heavy metals in hair. After you cut the hair from yourself or pet, then it’s “prepared in a licensed clinical laboratory through a series of chemical and high-temperature digestive procedures. Testing is then performed using highly sophisticated detection equipment and methods to achieve the most accurate and precise results.” – Trace Elements Inc.

Trace Elements utilizes state-of-the-art ICP-Mass Spectrometry (NexION® models) for all trace element determinations.

Hair testing is a simple, non-invasive way to test minerals and heavy metals in the body. It’s a powerful and easy tool for pet parents to monitor their dog’s mineral levels without a visit to the vet or other invasive procedures. Hair provides a blueprint of biochemistry occurring during the period of hair growth and development. 

Why not use blood instead?

• Hair testing is non-invasive and easy
• Cutting your pet’s hair is painless
• No special handling of the sample so it can be mailed in an standard mail envelope 
• Cost-effective
• Blood is a snapshot

Blood shows a snapshot of what is happening in the dog right now. While this is important information, it doesn’t supply an accurate analysis of the mineral levels over a period of time. The blood will “borrow” nutrients from cells and tissues to create homeostasis in the blood. Blood is like the first kid in line at the ice cream store. He gets what he wants before anyone else.

“Blood is homeostatic. That is, blood has the capacity to balance itself in essential minerals at the expense of cell and tissue reserves of these same minerals. – Dr. Rick Malter, PhD, The Strands of Health, 2003.

For example, a dog’s cells and tissues might be losing essential minerals such as sodium and potassium while the blood reveals what appears to be normal levels of these two minerals. However, a dog might show signs and symptoms of low potassium and sodium deficiency, but the blood results are normal. Blood results can be a late indicator of a problem. 

“The balances between these essential nutrient minerals are more easily disrupted in the cells and tissues than they are in the blood. Deficiencies and excesses of minerals are more readily observed in an HTMA than in a blood analysis or urinalysis. Therefore, an HTMA is often an earlier indicator of a trend towards health problems (physical and psychological) than is a blood analysis or urinalysis. This fact is very important, especially when considering disease prevention or health maintenance nutritional supplement program.” – Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D. The Strands of Health, 2003.