Y'Cymry McKenzie, my first Cavalier, in 2008 at 12 years old.

Kathie Fowler

Napa, California, USA

Health

Over the last ten years, the popularity of the Cavalier has increased a hundredfold. One of the problems generated by this popularity is the prevalence of puppy mills and "back yard breeders" who churn out litters of puppies strictly for profit. There is no health testing of breeding stock, and dogs are kept in deplorable conditions. Puppy mill dogs are almost always sold through pet shops. When you are looking for a Cavalier, it is imperative to interview the breeder and find out if the sire and dam of the puppy have been tested for heart, eyes, hips and patellas with the first three tests conducted by board-certified specialists.

There a number of good web sites which deal with health issues and I recommend the following:

CKCSC-USA scroll down to health information http://www.ckcsc.org

For an excellent article giving an overview of common Cavalier health problems visit http://www.cavalierhealth.info

For a general understanding of Cavalier health visit http://www.aboutcavalierhealth.com

This site includes a forum for discussion on health issues http://www.cavalierhealth.co.uk