Why StressCode®?
Low
Cost
An affordable, non-invasive saliva test that helps identify stress levels in dogs, giving you quick, reliable insights to support their wellbeing.
Quick
Results
Delivers accurate results in under 15 minutes, giving you the clarity to take action and reduce your dog’s stress.
Easy
to use
Designed with simplicity in mind, this saliva test includes clear instructions, making it straightforward to check and understand your dog’s stress levels.
What we’re
working to solve
Currently available tests are time-consuming, complex, or costly – sometimes all three. This limits the feasibility of testing and may lead to misdiagnosis of stress and inappropriate interventions which can severely impact welfare and cause problem behaviours to worsen.
There are low-cost tests available that claim to identify ‘stress’ in dogs but in fact only measure levels of excitability or arousal (which go up in both negative and positive stress states).
Our test solves this problem by providing a solution that is rapid, easy to use and interpret, and cost-effective. It can differentiate between positive and negative stress, allowing dogs in a negative emotional state (such as fear, frustration, pain or grief/panic) to be correctly identified.
Actively
seeking partners
We are now actively seeking partners who share our commitment to improving canine welfare and performance through better understanding stress in working dogs.
Whether you represent a veterinary practice, research institution, animal charity, or working-dog organisation such as the police or security services, we welcome collaboration.
Please get in contact with us by emailing smillson@lincoln.ac.uk, we can’t wait to hear from you!
How it works
Bring your dog close and make sure they’re comfortable in a position that allows you to swab their mouth.
Place the swab in your dog’s mouth, ensuring you collect enough saliva.
Place the swab into the dropper tube, then add the liquid to the test device. Your results will appear in 10 to 15 minutes.
FAQs
How long do the tests take to work?
The test takes around 15 minutes from start to finish.
How does it work?
The test works by measuring the level of a protein in saliva that is normally at low levels when the dog is calm but increases upon stress.
What sort of dogs are they suitable for?
The test will work on all sizes and breeds of dogs. The only requirement is to be able to collect a small amount of saliva to test.
What do the results mean?
The result will indicate if the dog was stressed 20-60 minutes prior to collecting the saliva sample.
Concerned owners or caregivers should contact a veterinary professional for advice and guidance. Further information on stress and anxiety in dogs can be found online at https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/understanding-your-dog/signs-your-dog-may-be-stressed
How much saliva sample does the test need?
The test only needs a small drop of around 0.1ml, which is less than a small drop from a kitchen tap! The saliva is collected using a chew-resistant plastic swab that wicks the saliva from the dog’s mouth and the bud tip of the swab changes colour from pure white to a pale “barley” white, indicating that enough saliva has been collected.
Why does the test measure stress levels that occurred 20-60 minutes ago?
The physiology means that the changes in biomarkers in saliva take around 20 minutes to get from the blood to the saliva, then they remain measurable in the saliva for around the next hour.
This is beneficial when testing dogs, as it removes any handling or saliva collection events from affecting the test result.
Get in touch today
Our team can’t wait to talk to you
- Low cost
- Quick results
- Easy to use
