Karen, wishing you the very best for Charlie's appt - so hope it hasn't progressed to a syrinx.
Can you tell me what "symptomatic CM" is? I am just learning the difference between asymptomatic and symptomatic SM, but I just don't know when it comes to CM what classifies symptomatic!
Sorry I'm hijacking Karen's thread here but thought this might help
Kayleigh was MRI scanned last month and we were very surprised that it showed "ONLY" CM. as she has at least as many symptoms and obviously pain as some of mine who did have syrinxes. I think it is so important to get this message across, that, like humans, they can suffer from "JUST" the malformation.
Symptoms:
History of turning around to look at her back end and sometimes chewing her thigh, or paws. Really unhappy at being groomed or having her nails cut [really distressed and crying when her nails were cut]. She didn't want to play nor chew her chewies.
On occasions she was obviously really uncomfortable, she was trying to get as nuzzled in to me as possible [her way of showing distress], couldn't settle, her tail was right down - she started vocalising a bit. She was started on Gabapentin [100mg] every 12 hours and once that kicked in she was much happier
On a walk, Kayleigh has always been the most active of the 3 littermates, she loves to run. She has always played really rough with her brother Tommy. She is now slower than the other two, not running very much, reluctant to get involved in play. She is very restless from the early hours of the morning until mid morning, I am aware of quite a few affected dogs who are restless overnight or in the early hours of the morning.
During the day she is sleeping or resting a lot, takes herself off into her bed or crate and lies quietly – change in behaviour for her.
Anne [Anniemac] very kindly shared this blog
http://embeecav.blogspot.com/2011/01...nd-chiari.html
Mylee is a very loving little dog to those she knows, and is completely devoted to me.
She does not have the typical outgoing, friendly to all Cavalier personality. In fact she is incredibly reserved to those she doesn't know. She often shies away from a strangers touch, giving the impression she is not friendly or that she apprehensive. To strangers who know Cavaliers this always comes across as very strange. Is her temperament off? Was she not properly socialized? Why doesn't she want to say hi to me? Cavaliers should love everyone!
The truth is; Mylee is afraid that a strangers touch will hurt. She is afraid that you will touch her in the wrong spots. She doesn't trust that you know how to scratch her on her chest and back and leave her head and ears alone. She is afraid that you will hurt her.
That described Kayleigh - every word applies to her. We say that she goes up to people to show them how beautiful she is, but they're not allowed to touch her
Just shows how much we are learning all the time...although my other affected Cavaliers were wary of touch, it was not to this extreme.
My affected dogs have generally hated things going over their heads - we just about manage a bib but that's fairly loose. Not sure how they would cope with a sun hat but it's good that it helps Oliver.