Alan By The Sea
A Sad Cavalier Tale
For Dougal's admirers, and anyone else who is interested:
Several weeks ago young Dougals penchant for running straight at some cars caused him to have an accident (we think it's actually the wheels he goes for, or the sound made by some types of tyre). He was on the lead but the footpath was very narrow and he suddenly rushed out into the road without warning to attack on oncoming 4x4. He wasn't hit by the car as I reacted quickly and pulled him back just in time, snatching him back from within a foot or two of certain death. The whole thing happened in about half a second. Unfortunately, despite wearing a harness, the jolt of pulling him out the way (or more likely his landing back on the ground) has injured his back.
He had an MRI scan nearly 2 weeks ago now and the back injury, a damaged spinal disc, has been overshadowed by the fact that the scan has also showed that he has Syringomyelia.
Most 'Cavalier' owners will probably know what this awfull hereditary disease is, as it's one of the problems that currently affects the breed, but for others look here for a description - sm.cavaliertalk.com/ - there is no cure.
We have been in contact with the breeder and it seems that Dougals father has also very recently been discovered to have the disease, also diagnosed by MRI scan, and like Dougal is not yet showing any obvious symptoms. So his father, who is the carrier of it, has already been withdrawn from any further breeding. Dougals Grandfather, who is thought to be the previous carrier of it, was a Crufts best in breed champion a few years ago (so now we know where Dougal gets his good looks!), so has probably sired many puppies who now also carry this disease. We don't know his current status as he was sold and went to America after his success at Crufts.
Anyway, for now we have to try and keep a very energetic and highly excitable young dog calm and well rested so that his back injury will heal - This is an impossible nightmare!!! Every personality trait of his is against him doing this and we have had to resort to confining him in a crate for some of the time, and he really doesn't like it, and it will probably have to be this way for a month or two.
Beyond that, he will probably also be getting some serious one-to-one with a professional dog trainer as soon as his back is better!! This is not the first time he has nearly got himself killed, and he has also got some other very annoying habbits that need addressing too. It's not for a lack of trying to tackle these problems either, but conventional dog training just isn't getting through to him.
In the longer term, we just hope the Syringomyelia will not develop further and like his father so far, will continue to show no obvious symptoms of it. He is also now on medication, possibly for life, to help it stay that way. Only time will tell.
A Sad Cavalier Tale
For Dougal's admirers, and anyone else who is interested:
Several weeks ago young Dougals penchant for running straight at some cars caused him to have an accident (we think it's actually the wheels he goes for, or the sound made by some types of tyre). He was on the lead but the footpath was very narrow and he suddenly rushed out into the road without warning to attack on oncoming 4x4. He wasn't hit by the car as I reacted quickly and pulled him back just in time, snatching him back from within a foot or two of certain death. The whole thing happened in about half a second. Unfortunately, despite wearing a harness, the jolt of pulling him out the way (or more likely his landing back on the ground) has injured his back.
He had an MRI scan nearly 2 weeks ago now and the back injury, a damaged spinal disc, has been overshadowed by the fact that the scan has also showed that he has Syringomyelia.
Most 'Cavalier' owners will probably know what this awfull hereditary disease is, as it's one of the problems that currently affects the breed, but for others look here for a description - sm.cavaliertalk.com/ - there is no cure.
We have been in contact with the breeder and it seems that Dougals father has also very recently been discovered to have the disease, also diagnosed by MRI scan, and like Dougal is not yet showing any obvious symptoms. So his father, who is the carrier of it, has already been withdrawn from any further breeding. Dougals Grandfather, who is thought to be the previous carrier of it, was a Crufts best in breed champion a few years ago (so now we know where Dougal gets his good looks!), so has probably sired many puppies who now also carry this disease. We don't know his current status as he was sold and went to America after his success at Crufts.
Anyway, for now we have to try and keep a very energetic and highly excitable young dog calm and well rested so that his back injury will heal - This is an impossible nightmare!!! Every personality trait of his is against him doing this and we have had to resort to confining him in a crate for some of the time, and he really doesn't like it, and it will probably have to be this way for a month or two.
Beyond that, he will probably also be getting some serious one-to-one with a professional dog trainer as soon as his back is better!! This is not the first time he has nearly got himself killed, and he has also got some other very annoying habbits that need addressing too. It's not for a lack of trying to tackle these problems either, but conventional dog training just isn't getting through to him.
In the longer term, we just hope the Syringomyelia will not develop further and like his father so far, will continue to show no obvious symptoms of it. He is also now on medication, possibly for life, to help it stay that way. Only time will tell.