Carsan Cavaliers
About Us
All of our dogs at Carsan are family pets first ... and enjoy a stress-free life in open spaces, spend time playing, running and generally doing what all healthy dogs do. Some of our puppies are held back because they have possible "show" quality but that takes time and maturity. Their lifestyle here affords them well adjustment, often boldness and confidence.
Some will go on to form and establish our breeding lines, whereas some will go to happy ever after homes, but either way the subject of health is never forgotten nor ommited.
In this aspect all are equals, we strive to give them the best welfare, nurturing and care as is possible.
Since there are many different goals in the world of dog breeding, and many different ways
of getting there, I want to provide a brief insight here what “Carsan” have set for
themselves as goals.
First of all, I want to mention the issue of enjoying being around the dogs. In order to
ensure that both the human and hence life partner of the dog, as well as the Cavalier,
enjoy a high quality of family life, it is important that the dogs are of good health.
Owning Cavaliers, however many you choose ... is delightful, and if chosen from a reputable breeder will be with you
for many years to come ... enriching your lives and those of your family, and especially young children.
This is why I decided to build my breeding stock from old and tried lines that has been
passing on good health and strong character for over 45 years and has been undergoing a
stringent selection process for these traits.
Many relatives and ancestors of our bred progeny are still alive at the
old age of 14 and are in good health.
Our breeding stock all undergo regular veterinary checks and ALL our dogs participate in the KC Heart doppler and Auscultation scheme, a long-term project. This scheme relies on an ultrasound and exam in order to examine
especially the mitral valve for certain defects.
As already mentioned, our breeding stock are checked for heart disease before
breeding with them because it is very important from a breeder’s point of view to continue the process
and only use healthy cavaliers in the breeding program.
But we are not only concentrating on the hearts of our cavaliers.
There are more health problems that we are checking here at Carsan that are lying hidden in the genes of our beloved breed and other breeds as well.
What is CM/SM ?
Many Cavalier fans, as well as newly interested persons in the breed, have been asking us this question lately, and they
are seeking answers, and rightly so.
I thus want to briefly outline the symptoms, because it is important to me to set out the classical signs, as normal dog scratching has nothing to do with this genetic defect, which is abbreviated as “SM”.
The most important symptom is that it is really a type of phantom scratching, meaning that the dogs do not actually
touch themselves with their paws but scratch in the air.
Hence, typical dog scratching must not be misinterpreted as “phantom scratching” or SM.
During the attack, the entire dog looks very tense. The attacks rarely happen without
provocation but mainly during times of stress such or when playing. It is especially strong
also when the dog is put on a leash, which is when symptoms worsen. This type of nerve
reaction can also be brought about through massaging or petting in the neck region,
precisely where a normal dog collar is located.
Our breed clubs included this disease into its optional health check. All our Stud dogs are
MRI Scanned for C/M and S/M.
DNA is now available to eliminate several serious conditions within the breed and all our stock is
now clear or hereditary clear for the following conditions:
Curly coat. Dry eye, episodic falling and Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD)
Eye testing is also done annually.
This is a very important aspect for our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed.
I hope to have broken a bit through the tabu zone of that subject for us breeders.
We here at Carsan inform and give copies of health tests to our puppy buyers.
Our litter planning process is always based on the background that we strive to keep
undesired genetic factors, such as heart problems or Syringomyelia, as small as possible.
You can find us ... and lots of information on Champdogs.
