Burmilla — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Hypokalaemia
Burmilla carries Burmese ancestry and is named on the same WNK4 hypokalaemia test's breed list; the mutation causes episodic muscle weakness from low blood potassium.
Ask to see: WNK4 DNA test, UC Davis VGL, explicitly validated for Burmilla. Usually managed with oral potassium supplementation once identified.
Hypokalemia (WNK4) DNA test -- breed list includes Burmilla, UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/burmese-hypokalemia)
Burmese head defect (craniofacial / central nervous system malformation)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
Burmilla is named on the same ALX1 breed list as Burmese, reflecting its Burmese ancestry. Two copies of the mutation cause a severe, typically lethal craniofacial and CNS malformation.
Ask to see: ALX1 DNA test, UC Davis VGL, explicitly validated for Burmilla. Testing lets breeders avoid pairing two carriers.
Burmese Head Defect (ALX1) DNA test -- breed list includes Burmilla, UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/burmese-head-defect)
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD1)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
Burmilla is named on VGL's PKD1 breed list, consistent with its part-Chinchilla Persian ancestry. An autosomal dominant mutation causes fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys that enlarge over time and can progress to kidney failure.
Ask to see: PKD1 DNA test, UC Davis VGL, explicitly validated for Burmilla.
PKD1 DNA test -- breed list includes Burmilla, UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pkd1-cat)