Thoughts on Cavalier Hearts and Vaccinations

Through my interest in collecting pedigrees of long living Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, I've also been given pedigrees of Cavaliers whom died from the heart troubles that afflicts the breed. Could I through these pages share the information I've gathered which may give food for thought in trying to help solve some of the jigsaw puzzle of our Cavaliers heart problems.

In Veterinary News published by the American Kennel Club Gazette, it was mentioned that adverse reactions from vaccinations are generally uncommon and thought to be more prevalent in certain breeds and specific families, suggesting a genetic predisposition. Perhaps this could explain why some Cavaliers world wide suffer from heart problems.

The first Cavaliers were exported from here in Britain in the late 1940s; if those Cavaliers who had been very close bred in the 1930s and 1940s to get our breed established were carrying faulty heart genes, probably if further close breeding was carried on in other countries to get the Cavalier breed established there as well, there would also be a risk of spreading those faulty genes further.

There was research work carried out in Sweden in 1994 by Dr Kvart and his associates. It was found that 31% of Cavaliers have a low platelet count; this was done manually so that the count was accurate. This result was also confirmed here in Britain. After the giving of vaccinations the platelet count drops on the third day and then again about a month later.

A number of Cavaliers who'd had heart trouble had suffered a deterioration in their heart condition about a month after having their vaccination, and they'd died shortly afterwards. Did those Cavaliers also have a low platelet count, and because of the further platelet fall due to their vaccination, had this caused an adverse reaction for them? Could this also be another reason why some Cavaliers with heart trouble have suffered from their vaccinations? I've been told by a vaccine company that no research has ever been carried out on Cavaliers regarding this. A number of Cavalier owners are now giving their Cavaliers medication for a week before till a week after their vaccinations to help prevent inflammation of their Cavaliers' hearts, and also to strengthen their immune system.

Is it possible that it is at the embryo stage that some of the Cavalier heart trouble is beginning, since many Cavalier in-whelp bitches who were given vitamin E had healthy long living offspring. Some cardiologists are now recommending that Cavalier owners give their Cavaliers Vitamin E to help forestall heart trouble. Over the years I've checked with a good number of owners of long living Cavaliers: they'd also given their Cavaliers vitamin E.

Hopefully in the new century with the research now being carried out world wide into heart troubles in our lovely breed, our Cavaliers will have their lives freed from the heart trouble that have beset them over the past number of years.

Vaccination Update:

There was a recent British Small Animals Veterinary Association Congress held her in Britain, where a panel of three veterinary experts gave their opinions on vaccinations. It was mentioned that the duration of immunity from the Parvo vaccine lasts for five to six years, but if it's put in with another vaccine where the duration of immunity is around a year the lowest common denominator is taken, so this could lead to over-vaccination for some of the components. Since the Parvo virus attacks the heart, and the Parvo vaccine is giving the Parvo virus in a mild form, could some of our Cavaliers who are genetically susceptible to heart disease be put to risk by being over-vaccinated by their yearly vaccinations because of the Parvo part of the vaccine lasting up to six years?

The combination vaccine was first introduced in 1983, there did seem to be much more heart trouble in our breed by the mid 1980s. Was this the result of some of our Cavaliers being over-vaccinated by the Parvo part of their vaccinations?

Bet Hargreaves