Hi, We've just bought an adorable Cavalier bitch who we've called Rosie.We've been looking for one for several months and I'd come across info on the internet about them having heart problems.We got her from an excellent breeder and she has a full pedigree,in fact her grandad won 'best of breed' at Crufts. she was also vet checked and has a certificate to say she has no sign of heart problems but when I took her to my vet yesterday for her first vacination she checked I had insurance,which I have, and said it was very important to have it for cavaliers because they develop heart murmurs when they're about 3. She seemed to think it was inevitable and I am now very worried. Does anyone know the percentage of cavaliers who develop heart murmurs? I can't find any statistics.It would put my mind at rest if I knew it was only a small pecercent.
                Thank you.

Hi
Unfortunately the statistics are approximately 50% of all cavaliers have MVD (Mitral Valve Disease) by age 5, and around 99% by age 10, so yes, it is more or less inevitable. There are lots of articles and info on this website:
http://www.thecavalierclub.co.uk/

It doesn't mean your dog will necessarily die young though as it varies a lot on how severe the problem is. Badly bred dogs have been known to die aged just 5 or 6, but the wellbred dogs from caring and responsible breeders can have pretty normal lifespans with care. The best we can hope for is for it to develop as late as possible in life, and as such it is important that the parents of any pups were at least 2 ½ years old  and heart clear (all breeding cavaliers should be tested every year) and that THEIR parents in turn were at least 5 years old and still clear. Did the breeder show you the parents certificates? Told you about grandparents? On the website I've given there is a list of Cavaliers aged over 5 and still clear, you can look for your dog's relatives there. (It does however NOT mean all of those dogs are STILL clear, it just means they were clear at the date given so did not develop MVD EARLY. My own dog is still on there and he is NOT clear now.)

I've had 4 Cavaliers. One died on her first birthday of other reasons. One developed the murmur aged just under 4, and the ther two were clear until 7 years of age. Casey the Triclour now lives with my mother in law, he is almost 10 and his heart isn't too bad -but he is grossly overweight so he suffers a lot more than from his heart than he would have done was he slim and the vet has said many a time that if she only slimmed him down he'd be really well. So his heart is pretty good as he is still alive.

Rufus my blenheim developed his heart murmur aged 7, it came all of a sudden and was severe at once. He's been on heart medication ever since. The vet told us he would not live to see Christmas 2002, but he's still here aged 11 ½! He needs a lot of extra care and we know he could go at any time but he's very happy and knows his limits so we let him do pretty much what he himself feels capable of.

I must admit I will not get another Cavalier due to all the health problems, but there is a DNA test being developed so one day in the future we will be able to tell at birth if a cavalier will be affected by MVD and/or Syringomyelia, the other major problem, or not. When that happens I will get another. :)

I have to admit I was amazed that my parents went for another Cavalier after the health problems their first dog had (colitis as well as a heart murmur) - I wouldn't have wanted to go through that and steered clear of the breed when choosing my own dog.  But there was no other breed as far as they were concerned!

I know a lot of people like that, they reckon it's worth it. I can understand that, I just can't deal with it myself any more (I mean, it is GREAT that we so far have had YEARS longer than expected with Rufus, but the knowledge that we could find him dead any day IS hard to live with, you're constantly on edge), so I realised a life long dream and got a papillon and even my vet commented on what a healthy breed they are. Funnily enough, getting the Papillon was meant to have happened AFTER Rufus died, but as he was so bad I figured being on a waiting list for a year would ensure I got my pup when Rufus was gone. Well the Papillon arrived a year ago and he gave Rufus a new lease of life, LOL.  :)

Please don't panic - you sound a bit like me, as soon as I got my dog I was worrying about all the things that could happen to her! Having said that, though, you may find this link useful:
http://www.thecavalierclub.co.uk/start.html
I don't have Cavaliers, but my parents do.  Their last dog did have a heart murmur but she lived to the age of 10 and had tablets for her condition for the last couple of years of her life.   Although it was her heart that saw her off in the end, she was perfectly happy and active up until then (people were still asking if she was a puppy when she was 8). They now have a new Cavalier who is nearly three and doesn't have a murmur - she comes from one of the breeders listed on the CKCS website for the most dogs with "clear hearts".  It's really important to buy cavaliers from reputable breeders (which it sounds as though you have done with yours) and to take out insurance which covers the dog for the duration of any condition (a lot only cover any one condition for a year from the onset of the condition).   I don't know how many Cavaliers have heart murmurs (and having a murmur isn't in itself huge cause for concern if it is a small one) but I know a lot more research has been done into MVD since my parents got their first dog. 
I do love Cavaliers, they are such sweet dogs - I've stuck to spaniels since I moved out of my parents but went for a working-strain cocker partly because my partner wanted something he could take on 20-mile walks and wouldn't hear of having a Cavalier!  I hope you have lots of fun with yours.

Were Rosie's parents and grandparents heart tested?  That's the important thing rather than her winning Grandfather.

in fact her grandad won 'best of breed' at Crufts

Rikki one of our Cavalier's father won BOB at Crufts unfortunately that doesn't guarantee a healthy heart in the offspring. Rikki died before his 8th birthday & had severe heart problems before this

Our oldest Cavalier has a grade three heart murmur(they are rated one to six)& is on daily medication, apart from the odd wheeze he's fine & enjoys life to the full He's 10 years old next month

Don't panic or worry, keep a close eye on your puppies weigh

Lots of cavalier develop heart problems in line with being over weight. I saw a massively overweight Cavalier yesterday he/she looked normal heightwise but I could have got three of my youngest Cavalier out of the width & the poor thing was obviously having problems breathing & walking Wasn't an old fdog either :(

I had two Cavaliers - ruby litter brothers. One developed a heart murmur, and was eventually on medication, but he lived to 11years and 4 months and died of an unrelated condition. His brother never had heart problems - he climbed Latrigg in the Lake District at the age of 13 ! ( he did sleep well afterwards ;-) ). He went blind and became somewhat confused in his old age, and was finally put to sleep at 14 and 4 months as his quality of life was pretty poor by then. However they both had wonderful lives, and being small were so easy to take all over the place with us. They were very mischievious, but super little dogs. Enjoy your puppy and try not to be too concerned about what may happen in the future. :-) :-) :-)

My KCS has had a murmer all his life and it has never affected him at all, he's now 14.5 ! He once was put on medication for it but it made him lifeless so we took him off it and he was right as rain again( about a year ago).
his murmer has not affected his quality of life at all and he is the most amazing little critter we have ever had. He still keeps up with our other dogs and when he gets tired we carry him. We have also made sure he is not over weight as this may affect his heart. We bought him from a breeder (who apparently was a puppy farmer according to others in the breed) but he has been the dog who has had the less problems in the bunch! AND has out lived any of the others breeders dogs by half their lifes!!! Please don't worry about your puppy and enjoy your time together.

i have owned cavaliers for 21 years and have not had any probs with hearts ( touching wood here ) its more important like Val says to have heart testing behind your pup ..still not 100% .....my tri's mum is 11 still heart clear and her grandfather recently died at 17 .its not all doom and gloom owning this lovely breed ..many cavaliers who end up with heart murmours live happy long lives thats what we all hope for .

best wishes

I have owned Cavaliers since 1983 my first one had a heart problem but she lived until she was 13 years, All the ones i have now only one has a slight murmur & she is 9 in sept. I have 13 the youngest is1year all have healthy hearts and eyes so far.( touching wood like inca )My first cavalier died in her sleep at 13, is it a lovely way to go.

So far mine are clear, (4 years and nearly 2 years). My friend who bred one of them has had nearly all of hers clear till a very good age, and the ones with slight murmurs have coped just fine, with the one sad exception of her boy she just lost, but that was in large part due to the heatwave.

Hi, This is a general thank you to all of you for your kind and helpful messages.I feel much happier now and only wish I could show them to the vet! The breeder I got Rosie from rang me after I'd sent her an email about my concern and was so lovely. She said that Rosie's parents,who I met, were 3 and 4 and both had perfect hearts and her grandparents are 8 and are also clear.She reassured me that they have an excellent breeding programme so although I know that it doesn't mean that Rosie is guaranteed to be clear at least she has had as good a start as she could have. Thanks again.

Brilliant!  Both the breeder and you have done the best that you can.  Now, put the worrying thoughts behind you and enjoy Rosie! :D

Sounds like you found a perfect breeder! :)

Hi Sue, my CKC was diagnosed with a heart murmour at 7, the prognosis according to the vetinary hospital where he had a full body scan was not good.  I remember feeling distraught and worrying all the time, but as the months went by and he seemed fine that feeling faded.  I gave him a heart tablet and water tablets every day for the next 7 and a half years!  He did develop a cough in later life but apart from that he led a full, active and happy life.  One word of caution, best to keep an eye on their weight as they get older to reduce the amount of strain on their heart. CKC are such wonderful characters, I know I wondered have changed him for the world.  You have a lot to look forward to I am sure.