Health
While the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is in general a healthy
breed, it can be predisposed to several different genetic conditions. Therefore, it is very important
for breeders to screen all their dogs prior to breeding, as well as annually, with Board Certified Specialists. This will help reduce the possibility of passing genetic conditions
down through their lines and offspring and help maintain the integrity of the Cavalier as a breed.
Breeders who breed for health are often willing to provide health clearances and histories on their dogs and
choose pairings with the intent to reduce the occurrences of these conditions within the breed. Unfortunately, and due to the nature of genetics, screening cannot always
guarantee these conditions will not develop.
The following are some of the more common conditions that may affect the Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel as a breed.
Mitral
valve disease (MVD)
MVD is a degeneration of the heart's
mitral valve, one of four sets of valves in a dog's heart. As the mitral valve degenerates, the valve no longer fully
closes after each pumping action, allowing some blood to flow backwards through them from the ventricle back into the atrium.
Veterinary geneticists
and cardiologists have published the MVD Protocol in an effort to help reduce the occurrence of early onset MVD in the Cavalier
King Charles Spaniel.
Other types of heart murmurs may include innocent flow murmurs, and murmurs due to pulmonary
valve stenosis and aortic valve stenosis.
Eye Disorders
The Cavalier King
Charles spaniel is prone to several hereditary conditions that may affect the eye. They include hereditary cataracts, corneal
dystrophy, distichiasis, dry eye syndrome, entropion, microphthalmia, progressive retinal degeneration, and retinal dysplasia.
In many instances, the eye disorders
in the Cavalier may be attributed to the brachycephalic shape of their heads. All Cavaliers should be examined at least annually
by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist.
Ear Disorders
Primary Secretory Otitis Media
(PSOM or P.S.O.M.), also known as "glue ear" has become more frequently diagnosed in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
It is the result of a highly viscous mucus plug which fills the dog's middle ear and may cause the tympanic membrane
to bulge resulting in pain and other sensations in the head and neck areas.
Luxating patella
The patella (knee cap) should be located in the groove in the center of the stifle (knee joint) of the femur
(upper leg bone). A luxating patella is a knee cap that has moved out of its groove. This condition is most often observed when a puppy is 4 to 6 months old.
In the most serious cases, surgery may be indicated.
If
the condition is not corrected, it will degenerate and the patella's ridges will wear, causing the groove to become shallower
and the Cavalier will become progressively lamer. Arthritis will often prematurely affect the joint, causing a swollen knee
with poor mobility.
Genetic conditions which cause patellar luxation are a shallow
groove, weak ligaments, and misalignment of the muscles and ligaments between the femur, patella, and tibia (lower leg bone).
Syringomyelia
Syringomyelia (SM) is a condition affecting the brain and spine, causing symptoms ranging from mild discomfort
to severe pain and partial paralysis. It is caused by a malformation in the lower back of the skull which reduces the space
available to the brain.
Although symptoms of syringomyelia can
present at any age, they typically appear between 6 months and 4 years of age in 85% of symptomatic dogs.
