And, unlike most marsupials, the Golden Bandicoot has fused toes on its hind feet, forming a comb they use for grooming.

Their hands are short with unusual palm creases with short, shaped fingers and foot abnormalities are shortened and have fused toes and usually mild.

Fused toes, where two or more of the dog's toes are fused together, may seem to be a health issue but this breed trait is not a cause for concern.

The gene's abbreviation is FTO because it is one of 6 genes that lie in a deleted region in mice that results in a fused toes (FT) phenotype and other abnormalities.

Nelli had a crippling spinal-cord defect called spina bifida, a club left foot, several fused toes and fingers, a heart murmur, fluid buildup in her skull and Goltz Syndrome, a herniation of the skin that allowed lesion-like fatty deposits to erupt around her mouth and other openings in her body.