Cavalier Health
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Cavaliers make wonderful family pets, though if you have small children you must always monitor them carefully – a child can easily and quite unintentionally injure a small dog with rough treatment. If you are looking for a Cavalier, we cannot emphasize too strongly that you do your homework, be quite sure that it is the right dog for you, and then search until you find a reputable breeder, whose stock is tested for health problems and whose puppies are raised in clean, loving home conditions. The litter will be registered with the Canadian Kennel Club and the breeder will be prepared to provide you with registration papers, a pedigree, health clearance documentation and a written sales agreement that will assure you of constant assistance in the future as the puppy settles in its new home. No reputable breeder will offer to sell you a puppy at a lower price “without papers” in Canada, it is against the law to advertise a dog as purebred unless it is registrable with the CKC, which means both its parents must already be registered with that body.
There are unfortunately many so-called backyard breeders in BC and elsewhere whose puppies are raised in unsatisfactory conditions, and there are puppy mills where the dogs spend all their lives in cages, unloved, uncared-for and with total disregard for their health. Puppies In these places are taken from their mother at a very young age, so that she can be bred again, then raised as economically as possible and marketed to pet shops or wholesalers as purebred Cavaliers. |
Like all breeds of dogs, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel does have some health problems, the two main ones being mitral valve disease (MVD) and syringomyelia (SM). There is presently no cure for either of these diseases and both are considered to be genetic. A very considerable amount of research, funded for the most part by Cavalier clubs, is being done throughout the world in an effort to find the gene, or genes, that are responsible for these diseases.
MVD is a defect or weakness in the mitral, or left atrioventricular valve in the heart, which allows some blood to move back into the left atrium. This means the heart is less efficient at pumping blood through the body, and so a murmur may develop, which can be heard by auscultation. Some veterinarians are capable of hearing these murmurs but it is preferable for breeders to have their dogs tested by a certified cardiologist before being used for breeding. It is believed that the majority of Cavaliers will develop a heart murmur as they age, but most of these are treatable to keep the dog happy and comfortable and able to live to a good old age. Having said this, there are also many Cavaliers who have lived, or are living, 14, 15 or more years with sound, clear hearts all their lives. Heart murmurs are graded from levels 1 to 6 and the first symptoms of heart failure will probably not appear unless or until a grade 4 is reached, when a slight cough may occur.
MVD is a defect or weakness in the mitral, or left atrioventricular valve in the heart, which allows some blood to move back into the left atrium. This means the heart is less efficient at pumping blood through the body, and so a murmur may develop, which can be heard by auscultation. Some veterinarians are capable of hearing these murmurs but it is preferable for breeders to have their dogs tested by a certified cardiologist before being used for breeding. It is believed that the majority of Cavaliers will develop a heart murmur as they age, but most of these are treatable to keep the dog happy and comfortable and able to live to a good old age. Having said this, there are also many Cavaliers who have lived, or are living, 14, 15 or more years with sound, clear hearts all their lives. Heart murmurs are graded from levels 1 to 6 and the first symptoms of heart failure will probably not appear unless or until a grade 4 is reached, when a slight cough may occur.
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Syringomyelia is a much more difficult problem to manage. This disease is found in several other toy breeds and is quite prevalent in Brussels Griffons. Veterinarians have also found it in some larger breeds and in mixed breed dogs. It only came to light in Cavaliers In the early 1990s, by which time it was widespread throughout the breed. SM is a condition where a syrinx develops within the spinal cord. The most obvious symptoms of SM are: scratching at the shoulder/ears without making actual contact, especially when dog is excited or when neck is touched; crying in pain for no obvious reason; lifting forepaws and crying in pain; limping on hind legs.
There are very few veterinarians in the Province of BC who are experienced in treating SM, or who have any knowledge of the disease, therefore Cavaliers are often being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated, causing considerable unnecessary pain to the dog and expense to the owner. Should your Cavalier show any of these symptoms we recommend you ask your vet for a referral to one of the neurologists at Canada West Critical Care Hospital, 1988 Kootenay St., Vancouver. Tel: 604-473-4882. SM can only be diagnosed by MRI, the cost of which is extremely high in British Columbia and at present it can only be done at this Hospital, but the neurologists there are very familiar with the disease. Cavaliers can also suffer from hip dysplasia and/or patellar luxation. Both of these conditions can be readily discovered by x-ray and dogs suffering from either should not be used for breeding. Puppies should also have their eyes tested by a certified ophthalmologist, as problems do occasionally appear. |
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There is also a genetic blood anomaly that is unique to this breed, although it is not detrimental to the dog. Some Cavaliers have unusually large blood platelets and automated blood counts may result in a very low platelet count, possibly because the large platelets do not go through the counter rapidly enough. A manual recount will produce a more accurate reading. Platelets are the components of blood that are needed for blood clotting, and many routine health examinations include blood work. This condition is harmless in itself but many vets are unaware of it and can misdiagnose it as a serious disease, so unnecessary and expensive treatment may be prescribed. If the only unusual condition is large platelets in a Cavalier, treatment isn’t needed.
This may all sound very frightening and certainly these are problems within the breed, but the impression should not be given that all Cavaliers have these conditions – they do not. If you are planning to purchase a puppy, it is recommended that you buy from a breeder who is prepared to discuss and advise on these concerns and who does all health testing that is available on their breeding stock. Unfortunately, even this cannot guarantee that dogs will be free from all problems but you will be buying from someone who is doing their best to produce healthy stock.
This may all sound very frightening and certainly these are problems within the breed, but the impression should not be given that all Cavaliers have these conditions – they do not. If you are planning to purchase a puppy, it is recommended that you buy from a breeder who is prepared to discuss and advise on these concerns and who does all health testing that is available on their breeding stock. Unfortunately, even this cannot guarantee that dogs will be free from all problems but you will be buying from someone who is doing their best to produce healthy stock.
