The issue of congenital problems in popular breeds of dogs and cats is
now much more public than a decade ago, yet brachycephalic breeds of
dogs, hairless cats, and munchkin cats continue to grow in popularity.
The purpose of Picking a Pedigree is to raise public awareness of what
constitutes a healthy pet, to inform what the medical implications of
inherited features are, and describe the human-influenced breeding
practices that have created manufactured problems for the sake of
appearance and arbitrary breed standards. Picking a Pedigree is a book
that all responsible prospective pet owners should read before making a
decision on acquiring a new puppy or kitten.