The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a long and illustrious history, with records of the breed dating back to 1900 in England.
The small dog was bred to be a companion for nobility, but it is now one of America’s most popular breeds as well!
While they are friendly and playful dogs who love their family members, they also have some health issues that you should know about.
This post will cover what you need to know about caring for your cavalier king Charles spaniel so that he can live the best life possible.
Introduce cavalier king Charles spaniel health problems
The most common is mitral valve disease, which affects about half the breed.
Other heart-related diseases are also prevalent in this breed, as well as eye and hearing disorders.
Cavaliers can also be prone to skin allergies and digestive issues such as stomach ulcers or bloat.
There is an increasing incidence of cancer, particularly lymphoma.
Heart problems tend to have a higher mortality rate in Cavaliers than other breeds.
The following are known health issues specific to the cavalier King Charles spaniel:
The Cavalier King Charles spaniel breed has several eye disorders, including cataracts, corneal dystrophy, juvenile-onset glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy.
Many dogs do not show symptoms of their ailment unless examined visually or via ophthalmoscope hearing; as with, many owners are unaware that any problem exists until the dog shows signs of discomfort such as squinting or secreting tears.
Eye examinations by a veterinary ophthalmologist should be part of the annual health check-up for every cavalier.
Owners often identify the beginning of deafness in Cavaliers at approximately five years old, but blindness generally occurs later.
Hearing impairment occurred in 84% of 484 Cavaliers examined.
The best way to reduce the risk of either premature hearing loss or blindness affecting your dog is to have it seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist and certified audiologist annually.
In 2010, while performing a series of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans on CKCSs as part of their research into syringomyelia, a team from the University of Montreal discovered that 30% of CKCSs suffered from Chiari-like malformation – a condition which causes brain tissue to extend into the spinal cord – and concluded that this is one of the main underlying causes for Syringomyelia in the breed.
Research has shown that syringomyelia can be reduced by up to 80% in some dogs through surgical decompression.
Chiari-like malformation was first noted by Dr Susan Boswell (then at Cornell University) when she observed a four-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel displaying neurological symptoms which were similar to those found in human patients with Chiari malformation, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting and gait abnormalities.
In recent years CKCS have also been diagnosed with Chiari 1 Malformation and CM/SM are common findings on MRI scans performed generally on older or ailing dogs. Although not as common as syringomyelia, Chiari-like malformation has also been found in the Griffon Bruxellois.
Owners tips for caring for their dogs and understanding their needs better
Some tips for cavalier owners include knowing their dog’s needs and understanding that they are pack animals.
Your cavalier is very social and will want to be around people and other animals (e.g., other dogs).
Your cavalier needs interaction with others, so if you’re going to leave it home alone, make sure that you spend time with it when you get back.
Cats and other small animals are fine for a cavalier to be around, but the dog may try to herd them–this is nothing out of the ordinary with colies and usually doesn’t harm the cat or other animal.
Be aware that your dog will most likely bark at intruders because it sees its job as being your protector.
Also, you need to make sure that you don’t let your dog get fat – this can lead to many health problems later in life.
Take time every day, even if it’s just five minutes, devoted to playing with your dog.
This gives it to exercise, which keeps weight down and makes sure it gets mental stimulation and physical activity throughout the day.
Lastly, there is no need for expensive toys; the dog will be just as happy with a simple ball and stick or frisbee.
This is an important part of your dog’s life because the puppy should get used to different types and levels of stimulation, whether it’s noise or other animals.
For example, you don’t want to take your puppy out in public until it has had all its shots at about 16 weeks old.
Still, if you plan on hunting your dog, you’ll need to expose it early (at 10-12 weeks) to gunfire so that when it eventually goes into the field, it won’t be startled by the sound.
It is good that the breeder started socialising your puppy during these first few months because you can keep this process going even after bringing the dog home.
For example, when going to a pet store, take the puppy but don’t let it get too over-stimulated.
The more that you expose your dog to different situations and environments while it’s young (but appropriate for its age), the better prepared it will be when thrown into these new situations as an adult.
The final stage of the puppy’s development is adolescence.
This phase lasts from 6 months to about 16 months (or up to 2 years for some breeds).
During this time, the dog will have gotten its adult teeth, which are more capable of holding and chewing food than any other teeth before.
The adolescent dog will also reach sexual maturity because it was already starting in the juvenile stage.
Conclusion
Cavalier King Charles spaniels are a wonderful breed of dog.
They can make great companions for animals and people alike, but they have some health issues that need to be looked after closely.
If you’re considering bringing one home with you, it’s important to understand the risks involved as well as what steps you’ll need to take to care of your new companion properly.
Our website has helpful information on how best to care for cavaliers before and after adopting them.
