A CAVALIER breeder has spoken publicly after hearing that a puppy she had sold to a pet home had been euthanased following an ‘internet’ diagnosis.
When Michelle Chapman sold a perfectly healthy puppy to a family as a pet she had no idea of the tragic consequences which would follow leading to the death of her beautiful puppy. The family who bought the puppy had not had a pet dog before, although the husband’s parents had owned CKCS before, so assured of a kindly and knowledgeable home Michelle parted with the little dog puppy, along with the usual ‘puppy pack’.
When a caring and responsible breeder sells a puppy, they usually give the new owner a puppy pack. Puppy packs cover most eventualities, diet sheets, advice on exercise, insurance cover and much more, but perhaps they could be improved by the addition of information about health, which is detailed but not frightening to the average pet puppy buyer. If this had been any other time we would not be drawing attention to these two cases, but since the screening of Pedigree Dogs Exposed was broadcast perhaps all breeders should stop and take stock of exactly what they include regarding health issues in their respective breeds.
What happened a few weeks later has left Michelle devastated. On the day of the tragedy the puppy had been fine all day; he had eaten all his food and been out. That evening the puppy was let out into the garden and as dogs will do he was rooting around experiencing life. Moments later he came in from the garden shaking his head and frothing from the mouth. More experienced dog owners would have assumed the puppy had eaten something nasty, a small toad or perhaps a slug which had been eating poison bait or had been stung by a bee or wasp. All of these symptoms being fairly characteristic of such encounters.
Panic
The novice owners panicked, they imagined something much more serious and rushed to the vets. Once there the vet did nothing to reassure them, and told the owners they (the vets) would need to investigate the cause. In the meantime the father of the couple (having watched Pedigree Dogs Exposed) started to look on the internet for possible causes for the pup’s behaviour. He found an article on the internet on syringomyelia and printed off the article.
Becoming very worried by what he was reading he rushed to the vets. Having arrived at the vets with the printout of the article listing symptoms of SM he asked the vet if the puppy could have SM? The vet replied that the symptoms displayed could be neurological and after a short discussion regarding the pup’s future it was decided to put the pup to sleep with no further investigation into what had made the pup shake its head and froth at the mouth.
At no point did anybody contact Michelle to ask for help or advice, even though this is a part of the contract she asks new owners to sign. While Michelle does not doubt that something was wrong she believes that further investigation, to be followed by a scan, if all other possibilities were exhausted, would have been the next logical steps. The family have refused to have a post mortem done which would have confirmed the “internet diagnosis” and confirmed what the pup did actually die of.
“As a very saddened breeder I wanted my story to be told, to stop this happening to any one else’s baby”, Michelle told us, “This has devastated me. I feel that all breeders should make all perspective puppy buyers aware that a healthy puppy who has already had vet checks when vaccinated and comes in from the garden after finishing his dinner and having a play, frothing at the mouth and shaking his head does not automatically mean the dog has a neurological disorder, and that putting them to sleep with no confirmation of what was really wrong is not acceptable, and should not be happening”.
Vaccinations
A second case reported to Our Dogs involved two four-year-old unrelated Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, they were surrendered to Rescue by their elderly owner who - through illness - was unable to cope with two dogs. When these Cavaliers were taken to the vets for vaccinations by their new owner, the male dog was fine and stoically stood still while his vaccination was completed. The bitch however whimpered, which many dogs do. The vet administering the vaccinations then told the owner that he suspected the bitch had cried out because she had SM.
Three weeks later - and after PDE had been broadcast - the two dogs went for their booster shots, and again the bitch squealed as the needle entered. There had been no examination by a neurologist or MRI scan carried out on the bitch, but the vet convinced the owner that the bitch would have no quality of life and should be put to sleep. A few weeks later without a second opinion, MRI scan, or treatment, she was euthanized.
Just before Christmas 2008, the male started to rub his face along the furniture and 'butt scoot'.... all seen as “signs of SM” as shown in Pedigree Dogs Exposed and on some ill-informed websites. The dog was booked into the vets for euthanasia, but this time the owner contacted Cavalier Rescue for help with the expense before the procedure was carried out. A member of Rescue went and collected the dog immediately, and after treatment for a decayed tooth and an anal infection he made a complete recovery. He is now living happily in foster care and in perfect health.
Our Dogs asked Nicky Paul, President of the BVA, if she had any advice for dog breeders and dog owners faced with similar situations. Ms Paul advised breeders and owners, “If any owner is concerned that their dog may have SM, or if any abnormal behaviour leads to a possible diagnosis of SM, then the option is always there for a specialised second opinion and the potential for a MRI scan. I am pleased to say that the BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes are currently developing a SM scheme to join the portfolio of the hips/eyes/elbows schemes that are currently run”. Ms Paul added, “It is hoped that it will not be too long before it is launched. We are also in the process in developing heart testing schemes as well”.
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I am so sad to read about what has happened to this Puppy, but Could I just mention as a Cavalier Pet Owner who has had so many tears because of the MVD Heart Problem afflicting the Cavalier Breed ,where 50% of Cavaliers will have a Heart Murmur by 5 years of age, that because of the Pedigree Dogs Exposed TV Program ,the prospective Cavalier Buying Public, have now been made aware of the Two Serious Health Problems affecting Cavaliers, MVD and Syringomyelia,and should always ask to see from the Cavalier Breeder, a Certificate showing that the Sire and Dam had been MRI Scanned showing that there was no sign of SM ,and also been Heart Checked that there was no sign of MVD .
Bet Hargreaves
Maybe the vets need educating along with the new owners - the frothing could have been from any of the items we have in the garden, slugs, slug pelletts, bulbs, fertilizers, etc. Many people take their new puppies out to visit friends and relatives without asking what is in the garden - they then let them run around whilst they chat etc. It is a disgrace that a vet would put down a puppy with so little investigation.
Susan Leach
