Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Long-term outlook for Cavalier King Charles spaniels with Chiari-like
By Plessas, I N et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Long-term outcome of Cavalier King Charles spaniel dogs with clinical signs associated with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with Chiari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) were monitored for nearly three years to see how their symptoms, like scratching and pain, changed over time. While some dogs showed improvement, most experienced worsening symptoms, and many continued to struggle with pain-related behaviors. Treatments included medications like gabapentin and carprofen, which helped some dogs manage their discomfort. Despite the challenges, many owners felt their pets had an acceptable quality of life.
People also search for: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pain management · Chiari-like malformation treatment · syringomyelia symptoms in dogs
Abstract
The disease complex Chiari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) has been associated with the development of neuropathic pain (NeP), and commonly affects Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS). This prospective cohort study followed 48 CKCSs with CM and/or SM and clinical signs suggestive of NeP for a period of 39 (±14.3) months from diagnosis. At the end of the study, 36 dogs were still alive; five dogs died of an unrelated or unknown cause, and seven were euthanased due to severe clinical signs suggestive of NeP. During the follow-up period, the clinical signs of scratching, facial rubbing behaviour, vocalisation and exercise ability were evaluated. Nine out of 48 dogs stopped scratching (P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant change in the number of dogs exhibiting exercise intolerance, vocalisation or facial rubbing behaviour. The overall severity of clinical signs based on a visual analogue scale (VAS) (0 mm: no clinical signs 100 mm: severe clinical signs) increased (from median 75 mm (interquartile ranges (IQR) 68-84) to 84 mm (IQR 71.5-91), P<0.001). A quarter of the dogs were static or improved. In general, the majority of the owners felt that the quality of life of their dogs was acceptable. Medical treatments received were gabapentin or pregabalin and/or intermittently, carprofen. The owner's perception of their animal's progress, and progress based on VAS, had strong positive correlation (Spearman's rank correlation (s(r)) 0.74, P<0.001). Overall, this study suggests that clinical signs suggestive of NeP progress in three-quarters of CKCSs with CM and/or SM.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23100307/