If it were to be recommended that no dogs should be bred before they are 8, 9, 10 or so and murmur free (and the breeders went along) the breed would be ended altogether!

As to disallowing titles until testing, I agree with you. I personally would like to see no titles available until after a Cavalier is 2.5 years, murmur free, and MRI tested. For other breeds with similar later onset conditions, I would like to see this as well.

I believe that , before a Cavalier Mating takes place, their Hearts should be checked, if they have a Heart Condition, even a Heart Murmur, then that Mating should not proceed.

I also believe that before a Cavalier is given their Title ,particularly Cavaliers Dogs, since they will become the Flavour of The Month ,and be being used a lot at Stud, their Hearts should be Tested by a Cardiologist .

Bet Hargresves

Bet,, the heart problems of the Cavaliers are not simple and you are correct in that due to dogs in the background of this breed, probably every Cavalier carries some problematic genes. Following the advice of researchers, however, and not breeding from early onset murmur dogs WOULD help the problem, and should have done so over the last decade IF the MVD protocols had been followed by enough breeders. These protocols specifically stipulate not breeding from any dog under 2.5 years of age, and only then if their parents are 5 and murmur free. This WOULD help rid the problem of early onset murmurs.

I know what you mean.

Anyone who knows me will know I like a joke as much as the next person, but there is a time and a place and a subject matter when it simply isn’t appropriate. For one, when it’s at the expense of individuals simply because they share a passion for improving the health of a breed and care passionately about that breed. And for an another, when the issue in hand is of such great importance to many, many people. It comes across as flippant and uncaring at a time when people within the breed have a lot of work to do win over the public support and to reassure pet owners that every step taken is done so in an effort to work through the health issues that I am sure we’d all like to be gone from this great little dog breed.

I hope that sooner rather than later some of the people involved will get a concept of how they are coming across with their ‘jokes’. I have engaged lawyers this morning and hope an apology will be coming my way otherwise I’ll have absolutely no hesitation in pursuing a defamation case. There’s ‘jokes’ and there’s libel. One is funny, one isn’t!

I have Cavalier Pedigrees of Cavaliers who died from Heart Trouble in the 50′s -60′s -70′s.

If those Cavaliers were being used in Breeding Programs, could this be a reason why it was said at the UK AGM, that inspite of the the Cavalier Club’s Breeding Protocols ,there is no difference in the Cavalier MVD Problem than it was 20 years ago,that 50% of Cavalier are still suffering from Heart Murmers at 5 years of age.

This means that of the 11,000 Cavaliers registered last year with the Kennel Club ,around 6,000 of them ,in 5 years time could be suffering from a Heart Murmer.

Is it not also why the MVD Heart Problem is not improvimg in the Cavalier Breed ,is because now ,there are so many Cavaliers Carriers of of the MVD Gene/Genes .If that is the case ,how will the MVD Heart Problem ever get sorted out. It could just be about impossible.

Bet Hargreaves

Bet Hargreaves

Bet, you really need to grow up and get a sense of humour. I am a PET OWNER of one cavalier with SM and have recently lost one to SM/Hydrocephalus.

What was said on that thread last night concerned a bra and cup sizes – it was a JOKE, so get over it!

You claim to be interested in SM yet anytime any comment was made about SM you’d trot out the same old, same old about MVD.

Oh and btw, if ‘the Antics of the Vociferous Few have done untold Damage to the Cavalier Breed, the sad thing is that they either can’t or don’t seem to be able to understand this.’ Is alluding to the members on that board, then I would say that most of them are working towards removing SM from the breed & they are also planning ways of raising money towards research and most have been sending in DNA samples and scans etc to researchers too.

If this is damaging the breed then I’d hate to see what promoting it was.

Oh and btw, the breeders are also pet owners too.

Bet, sincerely, get a reality check & a sense of humour.