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Another Dog at MT with SM

Margaret C said:
I wrote to Many Tears, directing them to this thread. See my email & the answer below.

My concern would be where does a prospective owner research SM information? I hope they are lucky enough to find this site.


.............................................................................

"Margaret,


Thank you for your concern and for providing valuable information on the condition. Bo has of course seen a vet, and we understand he is uninsurable. We are working within our vets advise. Any new owner will be advised to thoroughly research the condition.

Best Wishes

Vicky


Many Tears Animal Rescue
www.manytears.co.uk
01269 843084 - 10am to 3pm
SA14 7HB


From: Margaret Carter [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 17 January 2012 19:37
To: [email protected]
Subject: Bo, three year old cavalier with SM



Hello,



I appreciate what you do at Many Tears, and I know this is not the sort of feedback you need but I was very perturbed to read about Bo, the three year old cavalier dog that has SM.



"His condition seems to have been causing him little discomfort. Probably getting one or two episodes a day but with a little distraction or a cuddle the moment is over. He isn’t taking any pain relief as it's not been needed. It's a terrible condition but it may not get any worse for a long time if ever".



I think that the seriousness of this problem is being underestimated, both in the amount of discomfort this dog is suffering and the financial & emotional cost to anyone taking on a dog with early onset syringomyelia.

This cavalier's SM is likely to get steadily worse and it is wrong to mislead people as to what they will be faced with.



SM is becoming an increasing problem in cavaliers. Recent studies show that 70% of cavaliers will have SM by the time they are 6 years old. The earlier the symptoms show the more severe the deterioration is likely to be. The diagnosis is expensive, the medication is expensive ( my dog's pills cost over £100 per month ) and whoever takes on Bo will now not be able to insure him.



There has been a thread on a cavalier chat forum about Bo. The owners posting are all owners of SM dogs. http://www.cavaliertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?40550-Another-Dog-at-MT-with-SM



Best wishes,



Margaret Carter

www.cavalierpuppy.co.uk
Click to expand...


Hi Margaret
That’s the reply I expected.
We are working within our vets advise. Any new owner will be advised to thoroughly research the condition. Obviously like a lot of vets their vet doesn’t know a lot about SM otherwise he would have recommended the dog to see a neurologist, if there are episodes then surly this need investigating further and I am sure the poor dog needs pain medication. Many Tears spend thousands on eye operations and broken and deformed limbs, I am sure they would have £350 to see a neurologist.
 
Sabby said:
Obviously like a lot of vets their vet doesn’t know a lot about SM otherwise he would have recommended the dog to see a neurologist, if there are episodes then surly this need investigating further and I am sure the poor dog needs pain medication. Many Tears spend thousands on eye operations and broken and deformed limbs, I am sure they would have £350 to see a neurologist.
Click to expand...

Agree, agree and agree. Alarming that this is all a vet seems to think needs doing. :yikes

Given the incidence of SM in the breed and the fact that rescue dogs are very unlikely to come from health tested dogs, and the large volume of cavaliers they have coming through, it would be wise for their vet to become more familiar with the realities and seriousness of the condition (or to find a vet who is well informed about SM).

I think too it is absolutely the responsibility of the RESCUE to learn about this condition and provide informed and HONEST information about SM not just to a prospective owner of a dog like this that has SM, and early-onset SM too which is not good; but to ALL who adopt a cavalier. This was the norm for me in doing breed rescue and owners of the breed as a general point need to be aware of the condition and its symptoms just as they do with MVD -- as both are endemic in the breed and can be costly to diagnose and treat properly.

A dog is hardly 'rescued' if it passes from the hell of a puppy farm into the hell of living with improperly diagnosed and poorly or untreated chronic pain. :(
 
Your reply was almost identical to the one they sent me Margaret.

Paula,

Thank you for your concern. Bo has of course seen a vet, as you will understand he is uninsurable. We are working within our vets advise, of course it would be wonderful to have the full range of diagnostics available to us but we simply do not have the funds. Any new owner will be advised to thoroughly research the condition.

Best Wishes

Vicky
Many Tears Animal Rescue

www.manytears.co.uk
01269 843084 - 10am to 3pm
SA14 7HB

Not a satisfactory reply in my opinion :(
 
What are we going to do about all these gorgeous and loving little pups that did not ask for this! I know of many charities etc out there raising monies but do we need another for Rescue dogs with SM?!?!
My little Dave had surgery for his CM 10 weeks ago and is doing well. Here's hoping the SM doesnt progress. He is such a happy little fella and only wants to be loved. We have had alot of dog napping in the area and we have even purchased a higher fence...the thought of anyone taking my boy with no meds, no idea of his condition and leading him to a life of suffering makes me feel so sick. I have met 3 owners and lovely Cavs in the last month all recently been diagnosed.

Zoe and Dave
 
ZoeF said:
What are we going to do about all these gorgeous and loving little pups that did not ask for this! I know of many charities etc out there raising monies but do we need another for Rescue dogs with SM?!?!
My little Dave had surgery for his CM 10 weeks ago and is doing well. Here's hoping the SM doesnt progress. He is such a happy little fella and only wants to be loved. We have had alot of dog napping in the area and we have even purchased a higher fence...the thought of anyone taking my boy with no meds, no idea of his condition and leading him to a life of suffering makes me feel so sick. I have met 3 owners and lovely Cavs in the last month all recently been diagnosed.

Zoe and Dave
Click to expand...


Hello Zoe,

Welcome to you & the very special Dave.

You are right, we do need a Charity for rescue dogs with SM, but it would be impossible to raise enough money to even start addressing the need. And the situation is going to continue to get worse.

With each dog needing £1,500 -£2,000 just for the MRI, what we could raise would be a drop in the ocean. All we can do is cross our fingers when we ask worried owners "is your dog insured"

For a long time now those of us that receive phone calls from stunned owners of suspected SM cavaliers have despaired about the cost of diagnosing syringomyelia.
We feel so helpless when the owners have no insurance, or a basic level that pays out only a few hundred per year for each new condition.

It haunts us to know that these hurting little dogs will continue to suffer because vets are dismissive until there is a diagnosis from a neurologist, and because owners will not allow themselves to believe how painful SM is when they cannot afford to pay for effective painkillers.
 
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