The Syringomyelia Cavalier Collection Scheme

[Margaret C]

I have thought long and hard about this over the last year or so since I first found out it existed.

Ruby is my soul mate and best friend and to contemplate loosing her brings a tear to my eye whenever I think of it.
Ive had many many nightmares over the last year (the 24th will mark a year since finding out about the SM) where she has died, in each of them I have just held and held on to her body and not let go- to me that has symbolised that I have not come to terms with the SM.
last week I had the same nightmare where I had to release her suffering and this was very different from the others. I called Margaret and Tania and wanted her to be passed on to the scheme to help. My nightmare ended with me passing her body to Dr Rusbridge.
I woke up in steams of tears but at the same time it was like a weight had been lifted as I knew that when the time comes - if she is still needed I will let her go.
I cant imagine loosing her- she is my first dog and neer reaslised on that first day just how much I would come to rely on her and love her unconditionally.
She has changed my life in too many ways and I know that I was put on this earth to make a difference, she was bought to me for a reaason and my very special girl deserves a very fitting and special end.

I hope that I will have many years with my girl and that she may not be needed by that time BUT if she is then I would like for her to help the scheme in every way she can

Dear Karen,

You have had such a hard time lately. I do hope you have many years more with your little girl & I am so sorry that these things have played on your mind.
It is hard to describe to other people the anxiety that accompanies the diagnosis of SM. I hope that this decision helps to make your nights more peaceful.

I do suggest that owners may find that it helps to register their cavaliers and give some basic information. Knowing contact addresses and other details and having a copy of the MRI report means that I do not have to ask too many questions at a distressing time.

Registering your pet does not commit anyone to anything. None of us can know for certain how we will feel when our cavalier dies and it is important that an owner feels free to change their mind at any time.

I and my family members have donated our dogs to help MVD & SM research projects over the last few years. We find it a positive and comforting thing to do when a much loved dog dies.
You are right, special dogs deserve a fitting and special end.

We have always had our dogs' ashes back to scatter on the beach near our holiday home.
In my mind's eye my dogs are not waiting at the bridge, they are all playing together on the sand, even those that never actually met in real life.

[Nicki]

Marie-Anne, I'm so pleased that Megan is stable right now, 11 is fantastic and a real credit to your love and care.

I do understand that this will have been hard for you - all our Cavaliers have been individually cremated so maybe it was slightly easier for us, and we arranged for Teddy to go to the same crematorium {actually I collected him and took him personally}.

I know people have different ideas with regard to ashes - I think Margaret's idea of scattering them at the beach is lovely, it's actually a beach I walked upon when I lived in Norfolk and wonderful to think that they are running there.

We chose not to scatter ours - instead they have wooden caskets which have a space for a photograph {so really are like a photoframe with a box at the back}. We have them on a bookcase in the bedroom, together with a lock of hair and a special toy if they had one.

It is written in our wills that all their ashes and ours are to be scattered together when my husband and I are both gone.

I know that other people arrange to have the ashes put into their own coffins.

Some people put the ashes into a pot and plant a special plant in with them - maybe creating a memorial garden to put the pot into.

You could of course bury or scatter the ashes where your other Cavaliers are buried.

Not something we like to think about, but it's much better to plan in advance rather than not know what to do when something happens...


I'm trying to think of the Scheme as a gift we can give to the breed, so that maybe in the future we, and others, can have the wonderful blessing of healthier Cavaliers.

[Wagtails]

I am so grateful for all the support shown by all involved with this thread - it really helps, doesn't it?

[Cemilie]

I can see that this thread has not been activ for a few months.
My cavalier Frida got diagnosed Sm with MRI 14 days ago. I hope to have her with me for many years. Still - I would hope that her having this terrible deasease could do some good. And I wonder if sheme is only for dogs in UK. I guess it is a bit more difficult from other countrys. We live in Norway. I would like to do everything possible to help the cavalierpeople to controll and breed away from SM.