Cavalier Care

We all love our Cavaliers, and there are many ways we all care for them.

COAT CARE

BASIC GROOMING TOOLS:


• Bristle brush


• Wide tooth comb


• Fine tooth comb


• Short scissors

A good brush is a necessity with our dogs, but if you look at the pet store, they charge a lot for a bristle brush.

Go to your local pharmacy or discount type store (like Zellers), and go to where they sell the ladies' brushes. Find a brush with NATURAL bristles to keep the coat shiny and not break the hair. You will find you save a lot of money. Pick one whose bristles are mounted directly to the wood as the others cause static.

The combs are for coat prep and mat removal; the scissors are for cutting apart the mats.

I have found that Cavalier coats come in 2 types.

One rarely mats and the mats can be easily removed if they don't fall out.

The other coat mats easily and the fur is almost like baby fur.... and large mats can form if there is any dampness, or if the collar rubs, or if you look at them sideways! Some of these mats come out easily, but some form close to the skin and get larger without any complaints from the dog. The mats that form close to the skin can easily be removed, WITHOUT DAMAGING THE COAT.

How can you take out a mat without hurting the dog? Here are a few tips:

Identify the mat and isolate it.

If you hold the mat at the base, you will be able to comb it out without any complaints from the dog. Start at the top of the mat, working with a fine comb, and try to comb it out.

If the mat is LARGE, use scissors and, starting from the skin, cut up and in the same direction as the normal hair growth; working in this direction prevents an accidental cut of the dog's skin.

Once the mat is cut, it should be easily removed with the comb... if it isn't, make another cut through the mat, from the skin out, and then repeat.

Comb the area thoroughly to make sure there are no little knots waiting to grow into mats. You will notice the coat has not been damaged.

Here is the mat, removed. No coat damage, no trauma to the dog.

You will also need to have a shaver to clean between the pads .... Regular clipping can prevent slipping and keep the toes where they should; during the winter, snow and ice can cause pain if the feet have lots of hair.

NEUTERING

Is your Cavalier a pet? Are you going to be doing agility or any other sport with it? Are you wondering about neutering? Here is an article written by Chris Zinc, a vetrinarian who has studied animals and their relationship with canine sports and more. She has outlined the pros and cons about early neutering and the effect on the growth and bones of our dogs.

Early neutering is not good, but not neutering is bad too.

The girls can get pyometria (an infection after a heat) and they can develop breast, uterine and ovarian cancers, all of which can kill them. Unplanned puppies and making your yard so secure even oxygen has trouble getting in are other downsides.

The boys can get prostate and testicular cancers. They are more likely to develop aggressive tendencies and to be victims of other intact males. You will also have a very smelly house because every corner will be marked, and visiting friends or going into stores requires so much vigilence as to be not worth going. Boarding can be harder to find as well. To prevent a procreative escape, a VERY secure yard is a requirement unless you like dealing with irate neighbours.

HEALTH ISSUES

Mitral valve disease is one that kills many Cavaliers. It is heart-breaking to see them deal with their hearts, and much research is being done to try to control or eradicate this problem, the most popular being the Heart Safe breeding program.

But there are many indicators to heart disease, and in humans, snoring is one of them. So, I am gathering data that I will hand over to the specialists once I have enough. Click here if you want to participate. Maybe we can see if it can be related like it is in humans?

A Basic FIRST AID KIT

We can't plan every moment in our life, and we can't do it for our dogs either.

Here is a first aid kit that can serve both the 2 and 4 legged members of your family.