Breed-related disease: Somali cat
John K Rosembert The Somali cat is often described as a long-haired African cat; a product of a recessive gene in Abyssinian cats, though how the gene was introduced into the Abyssinian gene pool is unknown. It is believed that they originated from Somalia, long lost cousin of the Abyssinian cat; which has origins in Ethiopia. If one […]
Breed-related disease: Irish Setter
The Irish Setter is a setter, a breed of gundog, and a family dog. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognized by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognized by the Field Dog Stud Book. It’s not surprising that this handsome redhead comes from Ireland, which is famous for fine and beautiful dogs. The Irish […]
Breed-related disease: Cornish Rex
A Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or “guard hairs”, a middle layer called the “awn hair”; and the down hair or undercoat, which is very fine and about 1 cm long. Cornish Rexes only have the undercoat. They […]
Breed-related disease: Saint Bernard
The St. Bernard or St Bernard is a breed of very large working dog originated in Switzerland along with several other breeds, including the Bernese Mountain Dog, Entlebuch Cattle Dog, Appenzell Cattle Dog, and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. They probably were created when dogs native to the Alps were crossed with Mastiff-type dogs that came […]
Breed-related disease: Savannah Cat
The Savannah cat is the largest of the cat breeds. A Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and a serval, a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. The unusual cross became popular among breeders at the end of the 1990s, and in 2001 The International Cat Association (TICA) accepted it as a new registered breed. In May […]
Breed-related disease: Great Dane
John K Rosembert The Great Dane, also known as the German Mastiff or Apollo of dogs, a giant breed of German origin. The Great Dane descends from hunting dogs thought to have been around for more than 400 years, and is one of the largest breeds in the world. In the middle of the 16th […]
Breed-related disease: Toyger cat
John K. Rosembert Lots of cats are named Tiger, but it wasn’t until Judy Sugden was struck by the two spots of tabby markings on the temple of her cat Millwood Sharp Shooter that it occurred to her that they could be the secret to developing a domestic cat that truly resembled the lord of […]
Breed-related disease: Dalmatians
John K. Rosembert Dalmatians are one of the oldest dog breeds known to man, although their exact origins are somewhat shrouded. The earliest recorded history of the breed places them in regions of Asia and Europe, particularly in Dalmatia, and it’s from here that the breed takes its name. Historically, Dalmatians have been known as […]
Breed-related disease: Burmilla
The Burmilla started out as an accident. In 1981, a Chinchilla Persian male and a Lilac Burmese bred, and the female delivered four kittens. These kittens had an unusual black-tipped coloring. The look of these cats was so attractive that a breeding program was inaugurated to produce a cat that would have the short hair […]
Breed-related disease: Basset Hound
Basset Hounds were originally bred in France and Belgium (“basset” is French for “low”). It is thought that the friars of the Abbey of St. Hubert were responsible for crossing strains of older French breeds to create a low-built scenting hound that could plod over rough terrain while followed on foot by a human hunting […]
