Yearly Health Checklist for Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Keeping Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Healthy Throughout Life

A yearly health check is one of the simplest and most valuable things you can do for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Dogs are experts at hiding discomfort, and some health problems may develop gradually before there are obvious signs at home. Regular veterinary examinations provide an opportunity to detect changes early, monitor your Cavalier's health over time and discuss preventative care.

For Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, regular health monitoring is particularly important because the breed can be affected by several inherited and acquired conditions, including mitral valve disease, neurological conditions, eye problems, ear problems and joint and mobility issues.

Your Cavalier's yearly health checklist should therefore be more than simply asking, "Are their vaccinations due?"

It should be a complete review of their physical health, preventative healthcare and quality of life.

Your Cavalier's Annual Veterinary Examination

The Australian Veterinary Association strongly recommends an annual health check for dogs, even when vaccination is not required.

During your Cavalier's appointment, your veterinarian may assess:

☐ Weight and body condition

☐ Heart and lungs

☐ Eyes

☐ Ears

☐ Mouth and teeth

☐ Skin and coat

☐ Abdomen

☐ Muscles and joints

☐ Knees and mobility

☐ Neurological function where indicated

☐ General behaviour and wellbeing

Your veterinarian can also discuss your Cavalier's:

☐ Vaccination requirements

☐ Parasite prevention

☐ Nutrition

☐ Exercise

☐ Dental care

☐ Grooming

☐ Behaviour

☐ Reproductive health

☐ Age-related health considerations

Keep a record of your dog's weight and any significant changes from year to year. Small changes can sometimes provide useful clues about developing health problems.

Heart Health: An Essential Part of Your Cavalier's Check-Up

Heart health deserves particular attention in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) is a significant health concern in the breed and is generally first detected through a heart murmur. At your annual veterinary examination, your veterinarian should listen carefully to your Cavalier's heart.

If a murmur or other abnormality is detected, your veterinarian may recommend further investigation, potentially including assessment by a veterinary cardiologist and echocardiography. Importantly, a normal heart examination today does not guarantee that a dog will never develop heart disease. Regular monitoring is valuable because a dog's health can change over time.

The ACVIM consensus guidelines specifically identify Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as a breed predisposed to myxomatous mitral valve disease and recommend regular evaluation, including yearly auscultation by the family veterinarian as part of routine healthcare.

Watch for changes at home

Contact your veterinarian if you notice:

• Coughing

• Reduced exercise tolerance

• Difficulty breathing

• Faster or more laboured breathing at rest

• Weakness

• Collapse or fainting

• A noticeable change in your dog's usual activity level

These signs can have many possible causes and do not necessarily mean heart disease, but they should always be investigated.

Keep an Eye on Your Cavalier's Ears

Those beautiful, feathered ears require regular observation.

At home, check for:

☐ Redness

☐ Swelling

☐ Excessive wax

☐ Discharge

☐ Unpleasant odour

☐ Scratching

☐ Head shaking

☐ Sensitivity when touched

☐ Changes in hearing

Cavaliers can experience ear problems, including middle-ear conditions, and changes in hearing or behaviour can sometimes indicate an underlying problem. Do not routinely place cleaning products into your dog's ears unless you have been advised to do so by your veterinarian.

If your Cavalier's ears are painful, inflamed or producing discharge, seek veterinary advice rather than attempting to treat the problem yourself.

For more information, see our pages on Cleaning Your Cavalier's Ears and Ear Infections.

Don't Forget Dental Health

Dental health is an important part of your Cavalier's overall wellbeing.

During your yearly examination, ask your veterinarian to check your dog's:

• Teeth

• Gums

• Breath

• Plaque and tartar

• Signs of periodontal disease

• Oral discomfort

At home, make dental care part of your Cavalier's routine. Your veterinarian can recommend appropriate products and explain whether your dog would benefit from professional dental treatment. Don't wait until your Cavalier has obvious bad breath or difficulty eating before having their mouth checked.

Check Your Cavalier's Eyes

Your Cavalier's eyes should be checked regularly as part of their general health care.

Look for:

☐ Redness

☐ Cloudiness

☐ Excessive tearing

☐ Discharge

☐ Squinting

☐ Rubbing the eyes

☐ Changes in vision

☐ Changes in the appearance of the eyes

The breed can be affected by inherited eye conditions, including cataracts and retinal abnormalities. Breed-specific health programs internationally include ophthalmic screening for breeding dogs.

A routine veterinary examination is not the same as a specialist ophthalmic examination. If your veterinarian identifies a concern, they may recommend assessment by a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Check Your Cavalier's Weight and Body Condition

Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the simplest ways to support your Cavalier's long-term health.

At least once a year and preferably much more often, check your dog's:

☐ Weight

☐ Body condition

☐ Muscle condition

☐ Appetite

☐ Activity level

Weight gain can happen gradually and may be easy to overlook.

Your veterinarian can help you determine whether your Cavalier is at an appropriate body condition and adjust their diet or exercise program if necessary.

A healthy weight is not simply about appearance. It can affect mobility, comfort and overall quality of life.

Examine Your Cavalier's Joints and Mobility

As part of the yearly examination, your veterinarian can assess your Cavalier's mobility and musculoskeletal health.

Pay attention at home to:

• Reluctance to climb stairs

• Difficulty getting up

• Stiffness

• Limping

• Reduced willingness to exercise

• Changes in gait

• Difficulty jumping onto furniture

• Reluctance to play

• Changes in posture

Joint and mobility problems can develop gradually, so don't dismiss small changes as simply "getting older."

Your veterinarian can determine whether further investigation is appropriate.

Watch for Neurological Changes

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can be affected by neurological conditions, including syringomyelia (SM). SM is a complex neurological condition associated with abnormalities affecting the skull and spinal cord. Clinical signs can vary considerably between individual dogs.

Contact your veterinarian if you notice unusual signs such as:

• Repeated scratching, particularly without obvious skin irritation

• Scratching into the air

• Sensitivity around the neck or shoulders

• Reluctance to have the head or neck touched

• Unexplained pain

• Changes in gait

• Weakness

• Unusual behaviour

These signs can have many causes, so veterinary assessment is important. MRI is the diagnostic imaging method used to identify syringomyelia; it is not something that every pet Cavalier requires as part of a routine annual health examination.

Review Parasite Prevention

Your annual veterinary appointment is an excellent opportunity to review your Cavalier's parasite-prevention program.

Discuss protection against:

☐ Heartworm

☐ Fleas

☐ Ticks

☐ Intestinal worms

The appropriate preventative program depends on your dog's lifestyle and local disease risks. Queensland's climate and regional parasite risks make this particularly important for Cavalier owners. Never assume last year's parasite-prevention program is automatically the right choice for this year. Your veterinarian can recommend the most appropriate products and schedule for your individual dog.

Review Your Cavalier's Vaccinations

Vaccination is an important part of preventative healthcare. However, vaccination schedules are not necessarily identical for every dog. The Australian Veterinary Association states that vaccination frequency should be determined according to the individual animal's health, age, disease risks and the duration of immunity provided by available vaccines.

At your yearly appointment, ask your veterinarian:

☐ Which vaccines are due?

☐ Is my Cavalier's vaccination protection current?

☐ Are any lifestyle-based vaccines appropriate?

☐ Does my dog's lifestyle or environment change their disease risk?

Keeping your dog's vaccination records up to date is also important when travelling, boarding or attending certain activities.

Grooming and Skin Health

Your Cavalier's beautiful coat provides another opportunity for health monitoring.

During grooming, check for:

☐ Lumps or bumps

☐ Skin irritation

☐ Redness

☐ Hair loss

☐ Parasites

☐ Changes in coat texture

☐ Hot spots

☐ Unusual odours

☐ Matted hair

☐ Changes to the paws or nails

Regular grooming also helps you become familiar with what is normal for your individual Cavalier. That makes it easier to notice when something changes.

Check Your Cavalier's Nails and Paws

Long nails can affect the way a dog stands and walks. Check your Cavalier's nails regularly and have them trimmed when necessary.

Also examine their paws for:

• Cracked pads

• Cuts

• Foreign objects

• Irritation

• Redness

• Overgrown hair between the pads

If your Cavalier dislikes having their feet handled, introduce nail and paw care gradually and positively.

Review Your Cavalier's Diet

Your Cavalier's nutritional needs change throughout life.

At the annual appointment, discuss:

☐ Current food

☐ Portion size

☐ Treats

☐ Body condition

☐ Weight changes

☐ Activity level

☐ Nutritional supplements

☐ Changes required for age or health

Avoid adding supplements simply because they are marketed for dogs.

If you are considering a supplement, discuss it with your veterinarian first.

Talk About Behaviour

Health isn't only physical. Changes in behaviour can sometimes be an early indication that something isn't quite right.

Tell your veterinarian if you have noticed:

• Increased anxiety

• Irritability

• Changes in sleep

• Reduced interaction

• New fears

• Changes in appetite

• Changes in toileting

• Unusual vocalisation

• Reluctance to be touched

• Changes in activity

A previously friendly Cavalier who suddenly becomes reluctant to be handled may be experiencing pain or discomfort. Don't simply assume that a behavioural change is "just old age".

Senior Cavaliers Need Extra Attention

As your Cavalier gets older, their healthcare needs may change. Your veterinarian may recommend more frequent examinations or additional testing depending on your dog's age and health.

Senior dogs may benefit from closer monitoring of:

• Heart health

• Kidney function

• Liver function

• Dental health

• Weight

• Mobility

• Vision

• Hearing

• Cognitive function

• Pain

• Blood and urine parameters

There is no single age at which every Cavalier suddenly becomes a senior. Your veterinarian can help determine when a more comprehensive senior-health approach is appropriate for your individual dog.

Your Cavalier's Yearly Health Checklist

Veterinary care

☐ Annual veterinary health examination

☐ Heart and lung examination

☐ Weight and body-condition assessment

☐ Vaccination review

☐ Parasite-prevention review

☐ Dental examination

☐ Eye examination

☐ Ear examination

☐ Skin and coat examination

☐ Joint and mobility assessment

☐ Discuss any behavioural changes

Cavalier-specific health

☐ Heart health monitored

☐ Listen for any new heart murmur

☐ Discuss any coughing or breathing changes

☐ Monitor for neurological changes

☐ Monitor ears and hearing

☐ Monitor eyes and vision

☐ Monitor mobility and joints

☐ Discuss any breed-specific concerns with your veterinarian

At home

☐ Check weight regularly

☐ Examine ears

☐ Check eyes

☐ Brush teeth regularly

☐ Groom regularly

☐ Trim nails when required

☐ Check skin for abnormalities

☐ Check paws

☐ Maintain appropriate exercise

☐ Provide mental enrichment

☐ Monitor appetite and drinking

☐ Watch for changes in behaviour'

Keep a Health Diary

A simple health diary can be surprisingly useful.

Record:

Weight: __________

Date of veterinary examination: __________

Vaccinations: __________

Parasite prevention: __________

Heart examination: __________

Dental examination: __________

Next appointment: __________

Medications: __________

Health concerns to discuss: __________

You can also take photographs or short videos if you notice an unusual cough, movement, scratching episode or behavioural change.

A video recorded at home can sometimes be very useful to your veterinarian, particularly if a behaviour does not occur during the appointment.

Don't Wait Until Your Cavalier's Annual Check-Up

A yearly health examination is important, but it should not be the only time you pay attention to your dog's health. If you notice something unusual, contact your veterinarian rather than waiting for the next annual appointment.

Seek veterinary advice promptly if your Cavalier develops:

• Difficulty breathing

• Collapse or fainting

• Severe pain

• Sudden weakness

• Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea

• Significant changes in appetite or drinking

• Sudden changes in behaviour

• Eye injury or sudden vision changes

• Severe ear pain

• Difficulty walking

• Any other sudden or concerning change

You know your Cavalier better than anyone. If something doesn't seem right, trust your instincts and ask your veterinarian.

A Yearly Check Is a Small Investment in a Lifetime of Health

Our Cavaliers give us so much: companionship, affection, laughter and unconditional love. One of the greatest gifts we can give them in return is proactive healthcare.

A yearly health examination provides an opportunity to detect changes early, review preventative care and make sure your Cavalier is continuing to enjoy the best possible quality of life.

And remember, healthcare isn't something we do only when our dogs become unwell. Prevention, observation and regular veterinary care are all part of responsible Cavalier ownership.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the Cavalier Knowledge Centre is intended for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment.