News

Recently there has been news about a search for a gene which is still in the early stages, may help protect Cavaliers against early onset Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD). This gene is called the NEBL3 gene.

Dougall is 17 years and 2 months. He was first diagnosed with a murmur at age 11; is regularly checked by the vet and cardiologist and remains B1 (earliest stage of the disease with no heart enlargement), NO medication for his heart.

As Dougall has remained stable we decided to carry out the DNA test.

The MMVD result was a surprise – his result was genetically affected for Myxomatous mitral valve disease [MMVD]. To date, 97% of Cavaliers have this result.

Even though we were surprised at the result we hope this will give re-assurance and comfort to people who have a similar result.

Further Reading

The 2022 Australian NEBL3 study (which is not even in the pilot study stage) found 6 NEBL3 cavaliers; 5 of which they had diagnosed as having Mitral Valve Disease before the study began. However all 5 had milder cases of MMVD than the average of the other dogs in the study.

It is hoped that future studies with more NEBL3 cavaliers will show that the NEBL3 mutation slows down the progression of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD) in the breed.

Swedish Research News

A mandatory heart screening program was introduced in Sweden and the risk of dying before age 10 is now almost half of what it was prior to the program; early cases of heart murmurs and heart failure is almost gone from the Swedish population. However the Swedish breed club stated that Mitral Valve Disease and Syringomyelia are near to impossible to extinguish in a screening programme unless new genes are added to the breed. The Finnish and Swedish Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Clubs have started cross-breeding programs to improve the health of the breed.

As our beloved companions age, they can develop symptoms of Cognitive Dysfunction, similar to human dementia:

• Disorientation – the pet may seem lost or get stuck in corners or may have trouble locating food and water bowls
• Interactions – alterations in interactions with owners, other animals, or the environment
• Sleep cycle disturbances – howling, pacing, or crying in the middle of the night
• House soiling – they may not remember how to get to the door that leads to the outside
• Activity changes – sleeping more than usual
• Anxiety – separation anxiety, fear in crowded areas or when around other animals, destructive behaviour

There are lots of things we can do to help , including medication such as Vivitonin, so please discuss this with your vet.

Professor Clare Rusbridge has kindly produced a podcast “Shoe Size and the Wrong-shaped Brain”. Here is the link:

Shoe Size and the Wrong-shaped Brain Podcast

Happy 17th Birthday to our most beautiful, perfect and handsome boy.

Dougall arrived at Castle Castle almost 17yrs ago, together with his best friend Molly. Dougall was a playful, loving and cheeky puppy. He grew into the perfect companion with a huge, kind heart, sharing his Castle with other unfortunate rescue Cavaliers along the way.

Dougall has developed many skills over the years including qualifying as a famous doctor. Lovely Little Miss Lulu is his latest sweetheart; she has settled beautifully into Castle life sharing some of the daily duties.

Dougall and Molly are the inspiration behind Cavalier Matters charity. The very reason it was formed was due to the experiences dealing with both Molly and Dougall’s diagnoses (CM and CM/SM – Syringomyelia) and the struggle to understand these complicated conditions. At that time there was very little information.

We treasure every moment with our very special senior.

Our patron, Clare Rusbridge said in an interview for The Guardian that dog breeds must be ‘rebooted’ to halt health problems. It was the 8th most popular article of the day. You can read the full article here.

Prof. Clare Rusbridge, leading expert on Chiari-like Malformation (CM) and Syringomyelia (SM) (CM/SM) in Cavaliers, has launched a new YouTube channel for a series of bite sized videos on this painful disease.

We have a page containing all the videos, please view it here.

MCADD: Medium-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

A serious new genetic disorder has been found in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Please see the page about this here.

Did you know… wherever you are, UK or worldwide, you can now get advice from neurology specialist Clare Rusbridge?

WEAR Referrals has introduced a tele-consult service for neurology. This means that regardless of your location, you can always be referred to Clare Rusbridge – the European and RCVS Specialist in Neurology. This service gives owners a useful overview to consider what treatment options are available and whether a full referral is right for their pet – without the stress of travel.

To learn more about the service and arrange a neurology tele-consult, veterinary professionals can use the online referral form here.

Congratulations to our patron, Professor Clare Rusbridge, who has collected her RCVS Impact Award.

Many thousands of dogs have benefited from Prof. Clare Rusbridge’s Treatment Algorithm preventing pain and suffering.

There are over 27,000 vets and 17,000 registered veterinary nurses in the UK – and only up to 2 RCVS Impact Awards can be bestowed in any year.

The award is bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has recently, or is currently, undertaking a project, initiative or similar that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.

Cavalier Matters supported Clare’s nomination – we felt it was important to acknowledge Clare’s contribution to the understanding and management of Chiari-like malformation and Syringomyelia [CM/SM].

Clare chose to investigate Chiari-like malformation and Syringomyelia [CM/SM] for her PhD. Sadly this painful condition is very prevalent in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (and also affects other breeds). Clare provided the first comprehensive description and her work since has enabled further understanding in addition to greatly improving treatment.

Clare helped establish a health scheme for testing for CM/SM [requested by breeders].

Clare created the treatment algorithm, which is now used worldwide; it revolutionised the prescribing of appropriate medications by veterinarians. Thousands of pet owners are sadly unable to afford to consult with a neurologist, so this prevents unnecessary suffering.

The Cavalier Matters charity has over 42,000 followers on social media; the Companion Cavalier Club has over 220 members. Clare donates her precious free time helping with their websites and in particular, information posters about CM/SM to ensure they are distributing correct information.

Clare also gives presentations at health seminars for Cavalier owners, supplying information on the latest research and answering questions, including how to achieve the best quality of life for their companion and understanding the management of pain relieving medications.

Many owners travel hundreds of miles with their companions to consult with Clare; they truly value her expertise and experience.

• Previous recipients can be seen here.

We are so very sorry to share the news that Beebee has lost her battle with CM/SM [Syringomyelia] and MVD. Beebee was famous for her petite size and extraordinary appetite, she was also the face of the Cavaliers are Special Campaign.

This was started by a group of pet owners campaigning for a healthier future for their beloved Cavaliers, including the petition for mandatory health testing, as little was being done by the UK Kennel Club to encourage breeders to use the testing schemes available to them.

At its close, the petition held 70,088 signatories.

REST IN PEACE BEAUTIFUL BEEBEE
April 2012 – June 2022

Written by owner Charlotte Mackaness

Beebee was born in a Jubilee year and died in one too – a true little Princess.

I can’t believe that my precious little one is gone forever and that I’ll never again see her pootling around the field with me on a “horse poo safari” or catch her opening a cupboard for an illicit snack.

I feel so lucky to have had 10 years with her; more than we could ever have imagined after the devastating diagnosis of severe CM/SM at such a young age and the long list of health problems that followed. I suspect she never knew a normal life but was such a trooper and so good natured considering everything.

People were always drawn to her because she was the cutest little button but what a price she paid for it – a life of constant headaches and pain, although we did our very best to manage her symptoms.

It was most definitely her time and she left in an instant while munching on a chocolate digestive. As I left her for the last time, Beebee didn’t look like a 10 year-old-dog but one far older; her body ravaged by ill health. I truly hope something good came out of Beebee’s life: hopefully a few people became aware of Cavalier health issues and asked more questions about health tests before buying a Cavalier puppy.

I’ve met some amazing people because of Beebee and for that I will be forever grateful. However, I’ve also seen the other side of Cavaliers: I feel deeply depressed that so little has been done to improve the outlook for the breed other than meaningless lip service, and that the foxes are well and truly in charge of the hen house.

To those who bred her, she was Pascavale Nola. To us she was our little Beebee, Libby Libster – totally adored bundle of fluff, galloping gourmet and Queen of the house!

She will be greatly missed by the whole family.