New UK Study of CKCS with CM shows brain too big for its caudal fossa

[RodRussell]

Who was it that wrote awhile back about Cavaliers having brains too big for their skulls? Well, maybe some of them do after all.

In a research study -- "Comparison of cerebral cranium volumes between cavalier King Charles spaniels with Chiari-like malformation, small breed dogs and Labradors" -- published in this month's issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice, Hannah Cross, Clare Rusbridge, and Rodolfo Cappello found that Cavaliers do not have a proportionately smaller caudal fossa compared to other small breeds, but that the CKCS's brain is comparatively large.

See details at http://www.cavalierhealth.org/syring...rebral_cranium
or http://tinyurl.com/mnmd49

[Bet]

I would like to ask this Question,

Because it has now been mentioned that the Cavaliers have a larger Brain,and a number of Cavalier Folk have said how the Cavaliers' Skulls are Smaller than they were a number of years ago ,because of the Cavaliers' Heads Becoming Smaller, did their Brain not become Smaller as well ,and could be why their Brain is Larger than their Heads.

I don't know ,but if this is the case , is the Cavalier Breed in big trouble,since many ,many Cavaliers World Wide now have this Smaller Type of Head.

Any-body got thoughts about this.

Bet (Hargreaves)

[harleyfarley]

I read that its the genes, when cavs were first bred using toy spaniels and flat faced lapdogs, the genes controlling the size of the brain and the genes controlling the skull size are from different types of dogs and dont correspond, there for is some dogs the skull grows to the lap dog size and the brain grows to the spaniel size causing problems. Some cavaliers have the same size brain as bigger spaniels but not the same size skull. I think its only a therory but makes sense.

[Karlin]

It isn't yet understood how or why this happens -- this is what researchers are trying to figure out. The issue does seem to be genetic and to have something to do with breeding for smaller size as only small breeds seem to have SM with this cause. Being flat or flatter-faced is also a factor it seems.

This research demonstrates that there is actually a skull size/brain size issue, as Dr Rusbridge had proposed some time back. The foetal tissue research in the UK recently also indicated a mismatch in development between skull and brain size where the skull stops growing to match the brain's size.

It is very exciting to see some puzzle pieces begin to fit together and get this type of cross-confirmation between researchers. The Canadian gene research and its initial genetic work on CKCS had also indicated early on (a couple of years ago) that genes in the area that controls brain/skull development were likely candidates for the problem gene(s).

[chloe92us]

Rod, Should we start using the shoe analogy again?!?! I was hoping I would never hear that again!

Very interesting research...it's amazing how quickly researchers are working to help the Cavalier! There is light at the end of the tunnel...maybe.

[RodRussell]

Rod, Should we start using the shoe analogy again?!?! I was hoping I would never hear that again!

Very interesting research...it's amazing how quickly researchers are working to help the Cavalier! There is light at the end of the tunnel...maybe.

I believe that Dr. Rusbridge used the foot-in-the-shoe analogy in her seminar presentations, and then Bet took it and ran with it.

[RodRussell]

The foetal tissue research in the UK recently also indicated a mismatch in development between skull and brain size where the skull stops growing to match the brain's size.

Yeah, what she said! I think Karlin has distilled it for us.

[Bet]

Are we now at last getting somewhere with the SM Problem in our Cavalier Breed?

Looks like Dr C Rusbridge has been right all along, could the New Look Type of Cavalier Skull ,giving the Pretty Look to Cavaliers World Wide ,with Smaller Heads, be part of the Problem.

This Smaller type of Head only appeared in Cavaliers about 15 years or so ago.

A number of To- days Cavalier Owners won't understand what I am talking about, but Cavaliers did'nt always look how they do to-day.

This could be making sense, if at the time this Pretty Look first appeared in the Show Ring in Cavaliers ,and started winning ,then Bingo , Many Cavalier Breeders would jump on the Band Waggon,so that they also could have a Winning Cavalier.

So is it now down to the Cavalier Breeders to go back to the Older Type of Cavalier Head that Cavaliers used to have, or is it too late ,because this Type of Skull will now be involving Cavaliers carrying the Gene responsible for SM.

Bet(Hargreaves)