Fetch Magazine Features CKCS

Fetch Magazine, published by PetPlan Insurance, features Cavalier King Charles Spaniels this month. It includes information about MVD, SM, hip dysplasia, cataracts, and patellar luxation. Apparently the editors have a Cavalier, their second one, the first having died of MVD.

The webpage for the current issue is here:
http://www.gopetplan.com/fetchmagazine-spring-2009/#/64/

Thanks for the link and info. There's an intro to the magazine that shows the editor's B&T and the section on cavaliers begins here:

http://www.gopetplan.com/fetchmagazine-spring-2009/#/36/

I'm cross-posting what I said in another group. Notice that there is an error in this article on Cavaliers, and I'd hate to see someone google and try to research and end up with incorrect information about the heart disease that affects Cavaliers.

Cavaliers don't suffer from mitral valve dysplasia. That is a congenital defect of the mitral valve which is corrected by surgery (well, if you have the $ and access to a cardiologist who does the surgery, anyway). Chris Orton at CSU did a famous repair surgery on Lance Armstrong's retriever puppy who was born with this condition, which is not too common.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/11114.htm

"Congenital malformation of the mitral valve complex (mitral valve dysplasia) is a common congenital cardiac defect in cats. Canine breeds predisposed are Bull Terriers, German Shepherds, and Great Danes. Mitral valve dysplasia results in mitral insufficiency and systolic regurgitation of blood into the left atrium. Any component of the mitral valve complex (valve leaflets, chordae tendineae, papillary muscles) may be malformed, and often more than one component is defective."

www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/Insight/2006/in06spr-rpg_www.pdf
(article on heart surgery on page 11)

Cavaliers suffer from endocardiosis or acquired valvular disease - often referred to as MVD or mitral valve disease. (I prefer the first two terms which are more correct since more than one heart valve is usually affected before it's all said and done - often mitral, tricuspid, pulmonic valves.) Endocardiosis is an acquired condition (takes time to develop) versus mitral valve dysplasia which is a congenital (present at birth) defect.

Pat

Pat said:

Cavaliers don't suffer from mitral valve dysplasia.

Click to expand...

Good job catching that distinction, Pat. I see the use of dysplasia so often, I did not even notice it as being incorrect in the article.