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SYRINGOMYELIA What
you should know… What
is it? Syringomyelia (SM) is an extremely serious condition
in which cavities develop within the spinal cord near the brain, and fill
with fluid. It is also known as "Neck-Scratchers Disease",
because one of its common signs is scratching in the air near the neck. SM is rare in most breeds but has become widespread
in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. It is worldwide in scope and not
limited to any country, breeding line, or kennel, and experts report that it
is believed to be inherited in the Cavalier. Symptoms SM seldom can be detected in young puppies, as
symptoms usually are not evident before the age of six months but usually
will develop before the time a dog is 2 years old. Pain is the most important clinical sign of the
disorder. Symptoms may vary widely among different dogs, but the
earliest sign often is that the dog feels hypersensitivity in its neck area,
causing an uncontrollable urge to scratch at its neck and shoulders. Then
severe pain around its head, neck, and shoulders, causing it yelp or scream
usually follows. As the disease progresses, it destroys portions of the
Cavalier's spinal cord, and is so painful that the affected dog may contort
its neck and even sleep and eat only with its head held high. The dog's legs
may become progressively weaker, so that walking becomes increasingly
difficult. Some dogs deteriorate to the point of paralysis. Diagnosis The only accurate way of diagnosing this disease is
through the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning, an extremely costly
procedure. The MRI allows the veterinary neurologist to
study the spine for the presence of any abnormality which might obstruct
the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. Accurate MRI results require
that the dog be anesthetized. Clinic charges for MRI examinations of
canines have been known to vary from a rare discounted rate of $900.00 to over
$2,000.00. Another disorder with symptoms similar to SM is
Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM), which is a highly viscous mucus plug
which fills the middle ear and causes the tympanic membrane to
bulge. Because the pain and other sensations in the head and neck areas,
resulting from PSOM, are so similar to symptoms due to SM, the possibility
that the Cavalier has PSOM and not SM should be determined before diagnosing
SM. Treatment Treatment options for SM are very limited, but
available. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your Cavalier
has symptoms of SM. Always immediately report any confirmed diagnosed case of
SM to your breeder. What
does Cavaliers of Fairhaven do about testing for SM? We do not currently test for SM due to the high
cost. However, we are very aware of this disease (many breeders are not). We
know the symptoms and what to look for. We would never
breed any adult with even the slightest suspicion of symptoms. We never
breed any of our adults before third heat or 2 years old (which ever comes
first)—the timeline for symptoms to develop—or mate our dogs with other
adults without adhering to the same guideline. We would immediately
remove any adult from our breeding program that produced a puppy with a
confirmed diagnosed case reported to us and contact all puppy owners from all
affected litters, previous or current. Our 1 year congenital health guarantee includes
SM. If your puppy is given a confirmed
diagnosis of SM and it is reported to us within the first year of your
contract, we will honor our contract
guarantee. *This information provided
courtesy of Cavaliers of Fairhaven* Dedicated To Raising Healthy Happy Cavaliers! |
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