Unlike micropigs, whose health is no different than their normal-size relatives, extensive inbreeding of dogs has had devastating health consequences. Labradors are prone to some thirty genetic conditions, 60 percent of golden retrievers succumb to cancer, beagles are commonly afflicted with epilepsy, and Cavalier King Charles spaniels suffer from seizures and persistent pain due to their deformed skulls. These poignant medical problems haven’t kept humans from letting tastes dictate the genotype and phenotype of humankind’s best friend.
