I have a question about this condition which is common in the King Charles breed. I know we have several Lab breeders out there who also have these little guys. My boss rescued 2 King Charles a few years ago and one, a male, was just a couple of months old. He is now 4. He has always hated being touched on his neck or back and we all thought it to be behavioural and my boss spent a lot of $ on a personal trainer. He maintains this oddity and yesterday it became obvious why. He had an attack of pain apparently in his back and down his legs. He was really screaming, so they took him to Cornell(only an hour from us). They diagnosed him with COMS and said it is genetic in the King Charles. What is the best course of action for this young dog? He's on Gabapentin and seems a lot better today. My boss does not see spending thousands on MRI,or an operation if it won't help. What is the prognosis with this condition? I guess the skull is too small and cerebral fluid leaks out into the spine? Thanks for any advice.

Hi EL

Have a look at the following link. I contains a list of clinics which will do a reduced rate for MRI scans. The site also contains a lot of info on management, prognosis etc.

http://www.cavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htm

I hope this helps.

This is the condition that the BBC expose focussed on last year.

Wow! Thanks. I will pass all the info. to my boss. She is very saddened.

Wow! Thanks. I will pass all the info. to my boss. She is very saddened.
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You're welcome, I hope your boss finds a few answers and some hope in there. I also hope she can find a clinic that will do a scan at a reasonable price. Perhaps she could contact a Cav club in her area, they may know where the scan can be done without having to take a mortgage to pay for it.

I have had a resident Cavalier for many years. I am on my second one now. They make a great bed dog.

I don't understand how the little dog could be diagnosed as having COMS, or SM, or whatever, without an MRI having been done. Something doesn't add up, or some new techniques have been found. It is even worse than the average vet diagnosing a Lab with HD simply because it is that breed, without testing the dog. Glad to hear that he is doing better on the meds. I don't have personal experience with a dog with SM, but am a Cavalier and Lab breeder, so I have been following the ups and downs and veterinary disagreements on the conditions. As for the BBC program, it was sensationalist and out to get purebreds and showing and breeding, from what I could see, no matter the breed. See the ACKCSC parent club site, www.ackcsc.org. I do know an imported Cavalier, diagnosed with SM, who went on to do well in agility and obedience with walks on a harness and some chiropractic and acupuncture from a veterinarian. He is a senior dog and quite the character, doing well. Some dogs in which SM was suspected are found not to have it or COMS upon repeated MRIs. We'd love to see success in developing a DNA test for this in that breed--way less dangerous than an MRI, not to mention less expensive. As for the surgeries, a few years ago they didn't seem to be as successful as, say, a hip replacement is.

I too agree that more testing needs to be done to confirm the diagnosis for this little guy.

The BBC show was indeed sensationalist, however it did hilight the attitude of denial which is so common amongst the British dog breeding population. Far too many of them hide things under the carpet and dismiss stuff with the old 'it's not in my lines'. I think that the young lady who had the specialty winning dog who had been diagnosed with syringomyelia and her mentors/friends should be ashamed of themselves to keep this dog in a breeding program and worse still have him at public stud. I think the dog had at that stage sired in excess of forty litters after diagnosis.

The other major issues with Cavaliers of course is the Mitral Valve Disease. I am lucky, my little guy is at nearly 9 yrs is still heart clear.

Here is a good medical,health link regarding the King Charles.
http://cavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htm

http://www.pedigreedogsexposed.net

Documentary - BBC - Pedigree Dogs Exposed
1 hour

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44215931

I don't agree with the BBC show, I am only linking it for those that did not view it.

Well, I do know he was at Cornell for 6 hours and seen by several vets(had lots of other tests done). The conclusion was that it was highly likely he has this disease. They would like an MRI done to confirm their suspicions and then proceed with surgery depending on the degree. My boss wanted to go home and digest the info. Thanks again and will get back when I hear more.