Mitral Valve Disease (MVD)Endocardiosis of the canine mitral valve is a chronic degenerative disease of the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart. This condition is more commonly referred to as Mitral Valve Disease, or MVD. Deposition of mucopolysaccharide in the valve and its attached cords causes the valve to become distorted, allowing blood to leak back into the atrium during contraction of the ventricle. Most of the time, the mitral valve is the only valve affected by endocardiosis, but in approximately one-third of the affected dogs, the tricuspid valve (between the right atrium and right ventricle) will be affected as well.

Diagnosis is most typically made by auscultation. The murmur of MVD is typically heard best at the left fifth intercostal (between-the-rib) space. Murmurs are generally rated as grade one (I) through grade six (VI), depending on the loudness of the murmur. As the disease progresses, the murmur typically becomes louder. In a very young dog with a very soft murmur, further studies may be necessary to determine the source of the murmur.

All murmurs are not indicative of MVD; innocent flow murmurs sometimes appear in young, healthy dogs. A Doppler study will document regurgitation into the left atrium, and may be recommended in a young-breeding animal with a murmur. Doppler studies are also being used in some areas, since regurgitation of blood will most likely be seen on Doppler before it is heard as a murmur.

The veterinary and genetic communities agree that there is a genetic basis for MVD, and therefore the key to decreasing the incidence of MVD lies in selective breeding. To this end, a yearly heart examination is recommended, carried out by a board certified canine cardiologist.

MVD is not only inherent to Cavaliers bred in the USA. Studies have been ongoing in other countries including Great Britain and Canada. Statistics show that this is a health problem which can affect Cavaliers everywhere. Importing your Cavalier from another country does not necessarily mean, you are getting a healthier or better dog. It could be quite the opposite.

If a breeder tells you that their lines are free of MVD or other genetic diseases or that these problems only show up in dogs from other countries, I suggest you walk away from him or her. He/she is not being truthful with you. Any breeder who is honest and has bred for any length of time will tell you that problems can and do arise even with the best breeders. Trust the ones who are honest with you and will tell you how they work within their breeding program to eliminate these problems. These breeders constantly test, reassess, study, show and learn as much as they can about their dogs and the breed. Also, they can prove to you their testing by showing you the test results. They will honestly talk about the problems in their lines.

Selecting a breeder

Pick a breeder who will give you a health warranty in writing, as ‘backyard ‘ breeders will rarely, if ever, give any form of guarantee, whether verbally or in writing. A health guarantee does not prevent your puppy from possibly ending up with a health problem, but a health guarantee shows that the breeder is prepared to stand behind the health of his/her puppies and dogs, and will – should the need arise – help the buyer of his/her puppies in any way he/she can.

Finding a good breeder and your new Cavalier is a time consuming process. It requires patience. Good breeders usually have a waiting list. They cannot produce a puppy for you within two or three days. Sometimes it may take months or even a year to find the right puppy. Remember, this puppy will become a member of your family possibly as long as 15 years. There are plenty of unethical breeders – or puppy mills, pet shops or brokers and importers - out there that will be only too happy to take advantage of people who are looking for a puppy "right now”. 

When you have found, what you determined to be a ‘good breeder’ go and visit the breeder, if at all possible. Look at the dogs, the puppies, the way in which they are housed, how they are kept. If you are not allowed to see all the dogs, find out why. It is quite responsible of a breeder not to allow anyone to see one week old puppies, but be wary,  if you cannot see 6 week old puppies, their mother, or specific dogs which the breeder keeps. The father of the puppies may not live with the breeder, but with a different owner, so it is possible that you cannot always see the stud dog.

Take your time, look at the puppies, you came to see, possibly to chose from, see their interaction with each other, with the humans around them, with you as a stranger, and try to evaluate which puppy’s personality you like the most. If that puppy is for sale, place a deposit on the puppy, if it is not old enough to leave home.

Here is some information for you, in case you are looking on the Internet and in the papers for your new pet:

Looking for a reputable breeder is a MUST, because there are many people, representing themselves as 'breeders'. However, when you check, and ask pertinent questions, or for copies of contracts, warranties, and information about health issues, their answers can tell you who is to be considered ethical and reputable and who is not.

A number of people sell puppies, but have no knowledge about the dogs and the breed, buy the puppies only for re-sale, or are so-called backyard 'breeders', with nowadays most of them advertising on the Internet as 'breeders' on different sites - some of them even going so far as to say their dogs and puppies are "FIC registered" - not to be confused with the reputable European registry, the FCI.
The FIC is not a register, which most reputable breeders deem desirable, as FIC appears to register mutts as well as experimental 'breeds'.

New registries are cropping up every day. Be very cautious of people using the FIC, Continental Kennel Club (CKC), APR, American Dog Registry, Worldwide Kennel Club, Krystle Kennel Club, and Dog Registry of America. Often these people have lost CKCSC and/or AKC privileges or may be breeding a dog that was sold on limited AKC or CKCSC papers, which means without breeding rights.

Most reputable breeders are members of the American Shih Tzu Club, the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club USA, Inc. and at least one or more national breed clubs.

Pedigrees can tell you a lot about a dog and his/her breeder or where it came from. When reviewing pedigrees on ancestors of the puppy you consider buying, beware of any names, which do not include a kennel name (prefix before the actual name of the dog - in my case 'AnGa's Star' for my Shih Tzu's or 'Eulenburg' for my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Names like "Prince Topper" or "Hailey's Charm" should be a red flag that these dogs are usually from puppy mills/puppy farms. You can check on most breeders of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, if the puppy you consider buying is NOT CKCSC ('Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA, Inc.') registered, with the CKCS Club and see if the breeder has been expelled for Code of Ethics violations.
http://www.ckcsc.org/ckcsc/ckcsc_inc.nsf/Founded-1954/expelled.html

Also, in the daily newspapers are usually ads from brokers/ importers/ dealers and mills, which you should be aware of.
Please, DO NOT DEAL WITH SOMEONE advertising "USDA REGISTERED". These are commercial breeding farms in the U.S., commonly referred to as puppy mills - see also the link 'puppy mills part 2'.

Please make sure NOT to purchase your new pet from a broker, importer, dealer or backyard breeder - not to mention pet shops - as you will have no real guarantee of health, in particular on genetic health issues, or no knowledge of the parents having been health tested (for example, that the parents of your new CKCS puppy are 'Mitral Valve Disease' tested and found to be free). Ultimately, purchasing from anyone else than a reputable breeder, you will add to the misery of the dogs being kept in cages all their lives and used as 'breeding machines'.

All of the above mentioned clubs have websites, which you can access in order to find a responsible, reputable and ethical breeder. If you like information on what is considered a 'puppy mill' please go to the following link www.nopuppymills.com which gives detailed accounts as to what sort of places you would help to keep in 'business'.

Ask all the questions you can think of, but be prepared to answer a lot of questions from the breeder. He/she is trying to evaluate if YOU are the right person for one of his/her ‘kids’ and he/she has the obligation to place the life, which was created through her breeding, in the best possible home. Bear this in mind, if you get asked questions, which you may think are too personal.deefa1@bellsouth.net

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A Pet For Christmas? You may want to think twice before giving your friend or family a puppy over the holidays. While holiday cards are filled with images of irresistible puppies poking their heads out of stockings, the reality of introducing a puppy to your household over the holidays can be quite different. A puppy is not a stuffed toy. It will not take kindly to being ignored once a newer, brighter toy is discovered. Puppies need attention, discipline and a lifetime supply of love and care. Over excited children may scare a puppy or worse, neglect it, especially after it chews up their holiday toys or has an accident on the rug. Finally, please keep in mind: A dog is for life - not just for Christmas! Cute puppies soon become full-size dogs. Remember, an impulse gift over the holidays can last for 10 years or more. A dog will need training, food, shelter, medical care and exercise. If you want to give someone a puppy, don't have it be a surprise. Consider a gift that will help someone choose the right dog for his or her lifestyle. The American Kennel Club publishes "The Complete Dog Book" and "The Complete Dog Book for Kids". Both make great gifts (and are easier to wrap than a wiggly puppy!) You can also get detailed information and photos about different breeds of dogs by visiting the AKC website (http://www.akc.org ) It's always best to allow the actual owners to pick out their own puppies. The person taking care of the dog for years to come needs to carefully consider the adult dog's size, disposition, appetite and grooming needs. Attending local dog shows and finding and talking with reputable breeders will help decide what breed is best for you. The AKC publishes several free brochures on being a responsible dog owner. All are available through the AKC website - www.akc.org. Finally, please keep in mind: A dog is for life - not just for Christmas!

ORNAMENTS Ornaments are very shiny and often attractive to your pets. Keep your pets away from them but if there is a mishap with glass ornaments or lights here is a method to aid your pet: BEFORE the holiday go to a pharmacy and buy a box of cotton balls. Be sure that you get COTTON balls...not the cosmetic puffs that are made from man-made fibers. Also, buy a quart of half-and-half coffee cream and put it in the freezer. Should your dog eat glass ornaments. Defrost the half-and-half and pour some in a bowl. Dip cotton balls into the cream and feed them to your dog. Dogs under 10 lbs should eat 2 balls which you have first torn into smaller pieces. Dogs 10-50 lbs should eat 3-5 balls and larger dogs should eat 5-7. You may feed larger dogs an entire cotton ball at once. Dogs seem to really like these strange treats and eat them readily. As the cotton works its way through the digestive tract it will find all the glass pieces and wrap itself around them. Even the teeniest shards of glass will be caught and wrapped in the cotton fibers and the cotton will protect the intestines from damage by the glass. Your dog's stools will be really weird for a few days and you will have to be careful to check for fresh blood or a tarry appearance to the stool. If either of the latter symptoms appear you should rush your dog to the vet for a checkup but, in most cases, the dogs will be just fine.

Contact: deefa1@bellsouth.net