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I May Be Getting A Rescue Cavalier OMG!!!!

goldcountryrose

Well-known member
I just got this email from the breeder of my Toby:

Hello, haven't E-Mailed in a long time. Sorry for that. Hows The puppy doing? My Scotty is more of a gem the older he gets. Went to obidence class what fun. Going in Aug too. Thinking about showing. Just thinking though. Well any way, one of the girls from the XXXX called me because she acquired a 8yr old male cavalier king charles brown & white. All shots, blood work, almost everything but the kitchen sink. Someone gave him to her nephew because they could not take care of an animal then he was going to move & could not take the dog. She (xxxx) does not want to keep it she just got a puppy before she acquired this cavalier. Soooo! We are in need of a rescue. I remembered you saying you'd love to have another. He may be to old for your taste but thought I'd better give you the chance before any one else. Did I say he's for Free. Let me know!!! xxxxxxxxxxx

I placed the X's to remove identifying info.

Now, here is where I am confused...why would she describe the Cav as "brown and white"? As a breeder, she should have used a different term.
Why would she say all tests "but the kitchen sink" and not mention MVD or SM?

The first place that I x'd out is a vet, BTW. "One of the girls from..."

What do you all think. Of course, I am ready to go and get him. But I am concerned about his age and no info about MVD and SM. But oddly, around here, you never hear about that at all.

As I asked once before, is it possible that, at least, SM is more prevelent in European dogs?

I probably won't be able to get back to see your replies until late Friday night, US time, but I will try to get on in the morning, my time, which is in about 9 hours. (My time= I sleep till 10 or 11am, because that is my patient's sleep time)

I appreciate your comments.
 
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hi

well a breeder would def know he is a blenheim as for SM I feel at 8 if he has no symptoms he is doing well .............SM is everywhere it may depend on how much it is discussed ( you may not have heard of it till you saw it posted )

best wishes an 8 year old is surely looking for retirement with a loving family
 
It is odd that a breeder wouldn't use the term blenheim. Perhaps she didn't know/remember how informed you are about Cavaliers.

If I were you, I would call her and have a long talk about the rescue. E-mails are fine to start, but you really have to talk to get the full picture. If there are no severe health issues, at 8 years old there are still a few good years left for him to enjoy life. I definately would not dismiss an 8 year old if you think your family can handle another.
 
I would be highly suspicious of any breeder who referred to a blenheim as 'brown and white', especially if they know you already own a cavalier.

SM is NOT more prevalant in European lines -- all cavaliers go back to the same small group of British ancestors, every single one. There seem to be some lines that now are better for the probability of producing or not producing SM but they are all based on those older lines. The level of affectedness has been absolutely consistent between the US, UK and Holland and France so far.

With an 8 year old unless it has symptoms you probably don't need to be overly worried though as Clare Rusbridge specifically points out in her information sheet on the condition, dogs can become symptomatic at any time. However the worst cases tend to show before age 3-4. But I know of one well known breeder whose dog became symptomatic at 8-9 so it is always possible, just unlikely. With an 8 year old you'd really be more likely to have other health concerns -- MVD is going to be very likely at this age. This is true for cavaliers generally of course. Anyone homing an older rescue needs to keep in mind those issue and costs are likely to come up sooner rather than later. That said older dogs are very rewarding. But as I always advise anyone considering a rescue: you need to be honest with yourself in what you are looking for and be aware that you will likely have vet costs arising sooner rather than later, and be able to manage these willingly.

Few breeders/owners will screen dogs randomly for SM -- this costs around $2000 in your area for an MRI at UC Davis. You'd need to ask her if he has been cardiac checked among all the tests. That is the most important one.
 
I just talked with the breeded, and indeed she did say brown and white becaus she wasn't sure I knew the term blenhem. She tells me that this dog's tail has been docked...makes no sense at all unless it is a cocker mix or something. I am going to call the vet tech who actually has the dog and get more info, then I will check back here before making a decision.
 
If she is a breeder, surely she knows the difference between a cavalier and a cocker or a mix? icon_nwunsure Or has she not seen this dog herself? There are many reasons a dog's tail can be docked, from an accident to ignorance. But if she hasn;t seen him, the vet tech may well have the wrong breed. There are brown and white cockers and other breeds of spaniel with docked tails.

Why doesn't she contact breed club rescue if this is a cavalier, and you decide not to take this dog, as I am sure they could help rehome -- there is a Sacramento area club. (y)

You could call CKCSC west coast rescue for a contacts:
Deb Anders
(805) 682-2484
[email protected]

Or ACKCSC:
Bay Area CKCS Club
Toll free message line (866)750-2090 [email protected]

But presumably the breeder is a member of one or both these organisations and would know to get in touch with the rescue division of her club(s) if she needs rehoming help.
 
Moving this to general news section as it isn't actually directly related to a cavalier needing a rescue space. (y)
 
Ok, talked with the person who has the dog. They have done a complete work up, blood tests, urine, heartworm, etc, Listened to the heart and hear no murmers. She says he is definately purebred, and has no idea why someone in the past docked the tail.
 
Sounds like a fine Cavalier to me. :)

Our Charley got MVD around the age of 8 but he was managed very well on minimal medications for 5 years. He was also very active and happy even though he had MVD.

Good luck....hope you have many years of great company with this fellow! :)

Some Cavaliers do have their tails docked. Not common, but is done on occasion.
 
Thank you for moving this Karlin. Thanks to Bruce et al who have replied. If I don't decide to take this dog I will at least foster it and get in touch with the folks you suggested.

I will be going to see him tonight or tomorrow.
 
getting my "rescue" Cav, GOT HIM...WELCOME MAXAMILLION

What an angel boy he is, I finally got a digital camera, now I just have to get the cord to connect it to the computer, hopefully tomorrow, and I will post some pics.

He weights 21.7 lbs, and on him, it looks overweight. He has the docked tail but acutally it is really cute, what a surprise. He has the face of an angel, honestly, his nose is even shorter than Toby's. I do think that I see some sign of cataracts on his eyes, just a little clouding visable in bright light. Does anyone know the cost to repair cataracts?

I put him in the car and he was just fine, then when I got him home, he acted like he has been here forever. He displayed a little (well, actually a lot) of food aggression, but I am not worried about that. He is responsive to commands and just as sweet as sugar.

I feel like I am floating on a cloud. I had to stop to get some water on the way home, and when I walked out of the store and looked at my car and saw those two Cavalier heads poked up, I thought my heart would burst, I was grinning ear to ear.

Happy Happy goldcountryrose.
 
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Looking forward to the pictures. And yeah there is only one thing better than seeing a dog face looking out for you, and that is multiple dog faces looking out for you.
 
Hope to see some pics soon!! So glad that you are so happy and that he is settling in already, what is his name by the way??
 
I am severely photo posting impaired. Now I have 2 cameras, one that still lacks the proper cable to download photos to internet, and the other had dead batteries. I put batteries in it tonight, and will try to figure out how to make it work tomorrow.

Maxamillion looks nothing like he did when I got him. Today I had him completely shaved, including ears. He is overweight, he was just a mass of fur, poor baby couldn't seem to go anywhere without getting enough stickers to require 2 brushings daily, and it is more than 100 degrees here.

It was soooo cute after I brought him home from the (URGH) 50 dollar grooming, he ran around like a puppy. The groomer charged so much because despite my constant brushing, his coat was totally out of control, and she found he was loaded with fleas, despite being frontlined on June 1.
All of my other dogs are also frontlined, so I don't know where the fleas came from.

ALSO, the breeder said the "skin problems" that the former caretaker said were caused by "stress", turn out to be "flea bite dermatitis." She gave him a good flea bath and said to wait a day or two to reapply the frontline. (actually she said to read the instructions on frontline and follow them.)

While I am on that topic, why does the frontline I get at the vet seem to work better than the frontline I get at the pet store? The cost is approximately the same, about 45 dollars for 3 months. For me, tho, it is 45.00 per month as I use the three tubes to treat 3 dogs.

I will never again hesitate to keep my Cavs slippers and about half of their legs shaved in the summer, and I have no regret at all about shaving poor old Maxie. He is obviously SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more comfortable. His panting is decreased, and even his snoring has gone quieter. And the whole puppy thing....he was running thru the house, and looked so happy. What a huge difference from the old man who hardly moved at al.

Quieter is ok, but I have so come to love that little "puffy" snore my Toby does. Max, on the other hand, sounded like the person you would never be able to share a room with. But it is already better.
 
Glad that you are enjoying your new addition, he sounds a sweetheart.

All geriatric dogs develop a hardening of the lens (Nuclear Sclerosis) that causes the lens to have a greyish appearance. This does not usually interfere with vision, and isn't actually the same as a cataract.

Cataract surgery is very expensive, as it requires specialist equipment and training, it's not routinely carried out in the UK.

There's some more info and good pictures here:
http://www.animaleyecare.net/diseases/cataract.htm


My 11 year old, Rupert, has nuclear sclerosis - it doesn't affect his vision at all, he can see you drop something on the floor from all the way across the kitchen LOL
 
I have a lot of pets, so I am always looking for the lowest prices on things. Here is where I order my dog and cat flea protection.

http://www.healthypets.com/dogflea1.html

I have been ordering from them for 5 years without any problems. AND I think you will find it is cheaper than the prices you mention that you have been paying.
 
Glad to hear that Max is more comfortable after his grooming appointment!;) ;) When dogs live in a hot area I can not see the sense in leaving a full coat on them (Unless they are showdogs) and have them being all hot and uncomfortable when they can be so much better off less a bit of coat!!
Sometimes the Frontline sold at vets is of a higher concentration, they have only just taken it off prescription over here, I swear by that stuff!!
 
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