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Why is sm increasing in cavaliers?

Bet

Well-known member
Every Day I am reading about more and more Cavaliers suffering from this Insidious SM Disease.

Not just here in Britain but World Wide.

It really does seem to be Wide Spread now.

I have spoken with a good number of Elderly Cavalier Breeders when I was collecting the Ages of Long Lived Cavaliers, and no mention was ever made about it.

Where has it come from?

Why has it happened at this Time in the Cavalier Breed?

OK, some will say that other Breeds are also suffering from SM, but not to the Extent the Cavaliers are.

I know that Dr .C Rusbridge ,in the 1990's discovered some Cavaliers with a Peculiar Neurological Disease , is it the Result of some Genes coming to-gether and SM is the Result.

I believe that the Gene Research for this Disease is nearing completion in Canada now,and there has recently been exciting Information as a Result from the MRI Scanning of Older Cavaliers due to Funds from RUPERT'S FUND,that I think if I understand this correctly ,a Rare Gene has been found that some of those Older Dogs have that don't have SM.

I do so hope this is the case , it is just so Sad to read about the Numbers of Cavaliers with SM increasing nearly daily.

Bet.
 
One major factor is that SM is being diagnosed now. Past generations would not been scanned even if they were symptomatic. This is similar to autism diagnosis in human, a ten-fold increase in autism is due to a change in the definitions, and how psychologists are approaching diagnoses, not a change in the population.

So yes more and dogs are being diagnosed, but does that mean SM is increasing in prevalence or severity, only time will tell.
 
One major factor is that SM is being diagnosed now. Past generations would not been scanned even if they were symptomatic. This is similar to autism diagnosis in human, a ten-fold increase in autism is due to a change in the definitions, and how psychologists are approaching diagnoses, not a change in the population.

So yes more and dogs are being diagnosed, but does that mean SM is increasing in prevalence or severity, only time will tell.

WHY IS SM INCREASING IN CAVALIERS?

I don't know if the Answer is as simple as this.

We have been Cavalier Pet Owners for over 30 Years, and if any of our Cavaliers had been Screaming in Pain or had any of the Other Symptoms Associated with SM, we sure would have noticed.

We did a wee bit of Cavalier Showing about 20 years ago,and never saw any signs of this Horrible Disease.

I just don't think that it is being better Diagnozed To-Day,I really believe it was not around 20-30 years ago.

What do others on the List think?

Read any of the Cavalier Books written 30-40 Years ago and there is absolutely no mention of any-thing like SM.

The Cavaliers' Heart Trouble ,yes, but no other Peculiar Disease described to fit in with the Symptoms of SM.

I only know that I am so saddened to read just about every day another Cavalier is suffering from this Dreadful Disease.

Bet
 
I spoke to a well-known breeder more than 5 years ago, who said she had had a Cavalier 15 years before (ie now 20 years ago) who almost certainly had severe SM - but until MRI scanning became available, a definite diagnosis was almost impossible. And part of the problem with SM is that its mild symptoms can look like a lot of other things, which can make diagnosis difficult; so 20 years ago, how many Cavaliers with mild SM were being treated for allergies, ear infections, arthritis, spinal vertebrae problems and the like? It is also difficult to know exactly how many Cavaliers have SM today; many pet Cavaliers who will never be bred from and have no or very few symptoms will never be scanned or diagnosed, and may live a normal life with their owners never knowing that they have SM. The dogs who are scanned and diagnosed are just the tip of an iceberg - and this may have been true for many years.

No one without personal knowledge of SM who looks at my Oliver would ever guess that he has it; he was not scanned because he had any obvious symptoms, but because I was a nosey parker! (And it was in his family line.)

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
I spoke to a well-known breeder more than 5 years ago, who said she had had a Cavalier 15 years before (ie now 20 years ago) who almost certainly had severe SM - but until MRI scanning became available, a definite diagnosis was almost impossible. And part of the problem with SM is that its mild symptoms can look like a lot of other things, which can make diagnosis difficult; so 20 years ago, how many Cavaliers with mild SM were being treated for allergies, ear infections, arthritis, spinal vertebrae problems and the like? It is also difficult to know exactly how many Cavaliers have SM today; many pet Cavaliers who will never be bred from and have no or very few symptoms will never be scanned or diagnosed, and may live a normal life with their owners never knowing that they have SM. The dogs who are scanned and diagnosed are just the tip of an iceberg - and this may have been true for many years.

No one without personal knowledge of SM who looks at my Oliver would ever guess that he has it; he was not scanned because he had any obvious symptoms, but because I was a nosey parker! (And it was in his family line.)

Kate, Oliver and Aled


WHY IS SM INCREASING IN CAVALIERS?

If SM has been in Cavalies for many ,many years, then the Cavalier Breed is truly in a mess Health Wise.

The MVD Figures are 50% of Cavaliers have a Heart Murmur at 5-6 years of age.

The Researchers mention that there could be many Cavalier Carriers of the MVD Gene/Genes around.

If this is the case how will the MVD Trouble ever be got rid off.

Now if the SM Disease has been in the Cavalier Breed for years ,has the Cavalier Breed got a Future.

It could maybe be being said that the Cavaliers' SM Problem could have as many Cavalier SM Carriers as they have MVD Carriers.

Bet.
 
WHY IS SM INCREASING IN CAVALIERS?

If SM has been in Cavalies for many ,many years, then the Cavalier Breed is truly in a mess Health Wise.

The MVD Figures are 50% of Cavaliers have a Heart Murmur at 5-6 years of age.

The Researchers mention that there could be many Cavalier Carriers of the MVD Gene/Genes around.

If this is the case how will the MVD Trouble ever be got rid off.

Now if the SM Disease has been in the Cavalier Breed for years ,has the Cavalier Breed got a Future.

It could maybe be being said that the Cavaliers' SM Problem could have as many Cavalier SM Carriers as they have MVD Carriers.

Bet.


WHY IS SM INCREASING IN CAVALIERS?

Could I add this to my Previous Post, by a strange Co -incidence, in To-day's press mention is made about the finding of the Gene causing High Cholestrol levels in Humans, .

This is what I think will be of the greatest Benefit to the Cavalier Breed with their SM and MVD Problems.

Find the Gene/Genes causing SM and MVD ,and it will follow on that the Carriers ,as I understand it , will also be being found.

Hope-fully the Gene Research in Canada will find this out for SM in Cavaliers, but I don't know about their MVD Problem.

Once these Genes are found ,it is to be hoped this will go a Long Way in Eliminating these Two Health Problems Afflicting Cavaliers.

Bet
 
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