Belgian Cavalier Club

All about health

Clear information about health, examinations and points of attention that matter to owners and breeders.

HEALTH

Every living being, whether human or animal, carries a number of faulty genes. Knowing that a dog has more than 20,000 genes, it should not be surprising that every dog has at least 5 faulty genes.

A dog has two copies of each gene and, at fertilisation, both the father and the mother pass on one of their two copies. Most of the disorders we encounter in pedigree dogs today are recessive disorders. This means that a dog must have two faulty genes before it can develop the particular disorder. So if a dog inherits a faulty gene from both its father and its mother, there is a high chance that it will develop the disorder, while both parents have only one faulty gene and therefore will not develop the disorder themselves.

A responsible breeder therefore tests both parents for known disorders and in this way tries to prevent offspring from inheriting the same faulty gene from both parents. Without testing and examinations, this is impossible.

Unfortunately, there is no DNA test for every disorder and some disorders are caused by several genes. This makes it more difficult for the breeder to choose the right combination. Here too, examinations and tests can help the breeder.

HEART CONDITIONS

Certain heart conditions are suspected or proven to be hereditary in certain dog breeds. Heredity has been proven for only a limited number of conditions and breeds. When a condition occurs more frequently within a particular breed or within certain lines, it is often assumed that the condition is hereditary within that breed.

Mitral valve degeneration (MVD)

This is a common heart problem within the Cavalier population. The condition is caused by heart valves that do not close properly. As a result, the heart works less efficiently and therefore has to work harder.

The parent dogs can be examined in two ways:

Auscultation: this examination is carried out with a stethoscope. The dog is not sedated during the examination. It is an efficient and inexpensive examination, mainly aimed at detecting a heart murmur.

Echocardiography: this non-invasive method using Doppler measurements is the preferred method for detecting and confirming hereditary heart conditions suspected after clinical examination. This examination must not be carried out under sedation.

Health of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia is a condition in which cavities (syrinxes) develop in the spinal cord. When cavities (syrinxes) are found in a dog’s spinal cord, they can in some cases cause severe pain. Some dogs have cavities but show no signs of pain. Pain is most often observed in stressful situations.

In principle, any breed can develop this problem. To date, most research has been carried out in smaller breeds.

The problem can only be detected by means of an MRI scan under anaesthesia. This is a fairly complex and expensive examination. Only a limited number of MRI scanners for dogs are available in Belgium.

DNA test: Episodic Falling

Episodic Falling is a neurological condition. It usually begins between 3 months and 4 years of age. Symptoms such as stiff limbs, abnormal postures, loss of coordination and collapse are not accompanied by loss of consciousness.

Your dog appears to remain fully aware of what is happening and recovers quickly after an episode. Although some dogs may suffer permanent neurological damage, with rare cases of euthanasia, this condition usually improves with treatment and does not affect life expectancy.

A simple DNA test is available for this condition. In other words, by testing both parents and making the right combination, a breeder can guarantee 100% that your dog will not develop this condition.

DNA test: Dry Eye – Curly Coat

Curly Coat Dry Eye Syndrome, also known as congenital keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as a result of an inherited condition.

Dogs with this syndrome have a rough or curly coat, thickened and cracked footpads, skin problems (inflammation and extreme greasiness), eye problems (an extreme form of dry eye, conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, corneal fibrosis and vascularisation) and poor teeth. The condition can also affect connective tissue.

Patellar luxation

Patellar luxation is a condition most commonly associated with small breeds, but it also occurs in medium-sized to large breeds. The only available and usable method for assessing patellar luxation in its different grades is a clinical examination by an experienced veterinarian.

The veterinarian will assess how easily the kneecap, or patella, can be moved sideways out of the femoral groove. Depending on the displacement that can be caused by light pressure, the veterinarian determines that there is no luxation (grade 0) or that luxation is possible (grades 1 to 4). In the most severe grade, the kneecap is permanently located outside the femoral groove and never returns to its normal position.

This can be visualised by means of an X-ray.

Patellar luxation can be genetically determined (the femoral groove is not deep enough), but it can also arise as a result of an accident (trauma) in which one or more of the ligaments that keep the kneecap in place are torn. Diseases such as Cushing’s disease can also cause the kneecap to become looser.