Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Health Problems and Feeding


Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Characteristics

  • Apartment Living
  • Active Lifestyle
  • Watchdog Ability
  • Child Friendly
  • Dog Friendly
  • Cat Friendly
  • Shedding Level
  • Exercise Needs
  • Social Needs
  • Grooming needs
  • Stranger Friendly
  • Health Issues
  • Trainability
  • Adaptability
  • Proper nutrition is the key to the health and beauty of your pet. Feeding of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is of two types and has to be properly and well balanced.

    • Premium dry food
    • Natural food

    It is necessary to create a balanced diet and select the mineral and vitamin supplements necessary for the healthy functioning of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel when you choose natural feeding.

    Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Health Problems

    Consult your veterinarian he will pick up the complex of vitamins necessary for your pet according to his age, weight and state of health.

    Feeding Cavalier King Charles Spaniels puppies:

    • At the age of 1.5 months - 5 - 6 times a day in small portions
    • 3 - 4 months - 4 times a day
    • 5-7 months - 3 feedings per day
    • 8 - 12 months and adult dogs 1- 2 times a day

    Healthy foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels:

    • lean meat (beef, horsemeat, rabbit, bird boneless cooked or scalded with boiling water)
    • boiled offal (heart, tripe, trimmings, small portions and seldom liver)
    • vegetables (raw and cooked)
    • seasonal fruits
    • dairy products (low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt)
    • rice
    • sea fish without bones, cooked (1 - 2 times a week)
    • greenery
    • boiled egg or raw egg yolk (2-3 times per week)

    Dangerous foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels:

    • fatty meat (pork)
    • smoked
    • fried food
    • sweets
    • chocolate
    • spices
    • sour cream
    • tubular bird bones (chicken, duck, etc.)
    • spicy food
    • fresh bakery
    • river fish (raw)

    Never exercise your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel immediately after eating. Wait for at least 90 minutes after feeding before exercise.

    If you exercise a dog too soon after feeding there is a risk of the dog's stomach flipping over and becoming twisted, which is a life-threatening condition called bloat.

     

    Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Health Problems

    • Heart Disease: heart failure is a leading cause of death among Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Most heart disease in dogs is caused by weakening of a valve. A heart valve slowly becomes deformed so that it no longer closes tightly. Blood then leaks back around this valve and strains the heart. Dogs with heart valve disease (sometimes called mitral valve disease) have a heart murmur.
    • Brachycephalic Syndrome affects dogs with a short nose, like Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He has the same amount of tissue in his nose and throat as the longer-nosed dogs, but there’s no place for it to go. As a consequence, the soft palate (the soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth), is too long and hangs down into the airway. The nostrils are often too small, and sometimes the trachea, or windpipe, is narrow and undersized. All of these things lead to a narrow and obstructed airway. Many of these dogs can barely breathe! Watch for exercise intolerance, loud breathing, coughing, bluish gums, or fainting. With his short nose, he is also more likely to develop other problems, such as flatulence from excessive air intake, pneumonia from aspirating food, or heat stroke. In severe cases, surgical correction may be recommended.
    • Bladder or Kidney Stones. There are a few different types of stones that can form in the kidney or in the bladder, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are more likely to develop them than other breeds. If you notice blood in dog`s urine, he cannot urinate, or is straining to urinate, call your vet immediately!
    • Epilepsy. This problem often is an inherited condition which Cavalier King Charles Spaniels commonly afflicted. There are three types of seizures in dogs: reactive, secondary, and primary. Reactive seizures are caused by the brain's reaction to a metabolic problem like low blood sugar, organ failure, or a toxin. Secondary seizures are the result of a brain tumor, stroke, or trauma. If no other cause can be found, the disease is called primary or idiopathic epilepsy. Seizures usually begin between six months and three years of age. An initial diagnostic workup may help find the cause. Lifelong medication is usually necessary to help keep seizures under control, with periodic blood testing required to monitor side effects.
    • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an inherited disease in which the eyes are genetically programmed to go blind. Unfortunately, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are exposed to this disease more often than other dog breeds. PRA is not painful but is not curable. In dogs with the bad gene, early symptoms such as night blindness or dilated pupils generally begin around three to five years of age. A genetic test is available for this condition.
    • Cataract is a common cause of blindness in older Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Many dogs adjust well to losing their vision and get along just fine. Surgery to remove cataracts and restore sight may also be an option.
    • Dry eye also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS, is common in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The tear glands no longer produce enough tears to keep the eye moist, which results in sore, itchy eyes and infections. Symptoms include a thick discharge, squinting, pawing at the eye, or a dull, dry appearance of the eye.
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