Alice White
Dogs of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed have long become favorites in our country. They are taken to homes with small children. They become companions and loyal friends for older couples and single people. Like other animals, these dogs have their own lifespan and a certain list of breed diseases. To avoid mistakes in the content, any owner of the “gentleman” needs to know what can negatively affect the life expectancy of the pet.
What Affects the Lifespan of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Representatives of this breed belong to the indoor-decorative group of dogs. They do not have large body sizes, which affected their life expectancy. After all, as you know, the smaller the dog, the longer it lives. So, for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels it is quite possible to live up to 12-13 years old. And for a more “large-sized” mastiff, this period seems to be something unrealistic.
However, not every “gentleman” celebrates his 12th birthday. This is most often due to:
Diseases. Due to the fact that representatives of this breed were artificially bred, they are more susceptible to genetic diseases than representatives of aboriginal breeds. Chiari syndrome, myxomatous degeneration of the heart valve can be inherited from their parents. The weak point of these dogs is also the joints. They often experience episodic fall syndrome and patellar instability. In addition, most dogs develop dry eyes and curly hair as they age.
Lack of training. Although “Cavaliers” are considered one of the most obedient and cheerful dogs, sometimes they get into unpleasant situations because of their behavior. The fault is, of course, the owners who did not raise the animal properly. So, an untrained dog, which has not yet forgotten about its hunting genes, can chase a bird or a lizard. That is why representatives of this breed most often fall under a car or fall out of windows or open balconies.
Incorrect care. People who are little familiar with the features of these dogs quite often make a fatal mistake – they take their pets outside in the winter without clothes. “Cavaliers” are very sensitive to temperature changes and prolonged exposure to cold, rain, and wind has an extremely negative effect on their health.
Inappropriate diet. It is impossible to call these puppies big fickle food. But their owners also manage to feed the wrong food. At best, the wrong diet causes a set of extra pounds. At worst, it inhibits development, provokes the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.
In addition to the above factors, quite often the lack of medical supervision has a negative impact on the life span of this species of English spaniels. Quite a few owners do not vaccinate their pets, ignore the symptoms of disease manifestations. This should not be done under any circumstances. Only regular medical examination and fulfillment of all the requirements of the veterinarian can guarantee that the dog will live a long life.
