The screening that matters in this breed, explained in plain language — and the questions worth asking before you reserve a puppy.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are among the most affectionate companion breeds in the world, and they are also one of the most closely studied when it comes to inherited health. Understanding what responsible breeders test for, and why, is the single most useful piece of research a future Cavalier owner can do.
Most of the conditions below can be identified long before a dog is ever bred. Screening is not about looking for a perfect dog; it is about knowing each dog's individual results and making careful pairing decisions from them. That is why clearance records are worth asking for by name, and why the age of a dog at its last examination matters as much as the result itself.
Here is a plain-language guide to the health screening a Cavalier breeder should be able to talk through, followed by the questions worth asking before you choose a litter.
Seven areas of screening that shape every healthy Cavalier litter.
The most common inherited condition in the breed, in which the mitral valve thickens and begins to leak. A veterinary cardiologist listens for a murmur at every annual examination, and mature breeding dogs are typically assessed with Doppler echocardiography from around two and a half years of age. Because MVD usually develops with age, dogs that stay murmur-free later in life are the more valuable breeding candidates.
A skull that leaves too little room at the back of the head can disturb the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and allow a fluid-filled cavity, called a syrinx, to form in the spinal cord. Owners may notice persistent scratching at the neck or shoulder that is not caused by itching, sensitivity around the head and neck, or, less often, unsteadiness. MRI screening of breeding dogs gives the clearest picture of a dog's status.
A condition in which excitement or exercise can trigger sudden muscle stiffness and collapse. It is inherited recessively and identified by a simple DNA test, so two clear parents cannot produce an affected puppy.
A severe combination of a coarse, curly coat and painful dry eye, caused by a mutation in the same gene as Episodic Falling. It is also inherited recessively, and equally straightforward to avoid by testing before a litter is planned.
Looseness in the hip joint that can progress to arthritis later in life. Hips are assessed by radiograph and scored, and dogs with good or excellent scores are preferred for breeding.
A progressive condition affecting the spinal cord in a dog's later years. A DNA test identifies carriers and at-risk dogs, so pairings can be planned around the results rather than around symptoms that only appear with age.
Cataracts, retinal conditions and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) all occur in the breed. An examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist provides an eye clearance, renewed annually for breeding dogs.
A confident breeder answers all of these without hesitation — including us.