Jasper & Tia were inseparable: Two Blenheim Cavalier King Charles spaniels, who were the perfect partners-in-crime, were owned by a lovely lady who unfortunately could not provide the exercise they needed. Fun loving, cheeky and demanding – they were a comical pair to watch. Both dogs would go into a barking frenzy if they so much as clapped eyes on another dog, including on the TV!
All too common with this breed, both dogs suffered with syringomyelia.
Syringomyelia is caused by a malformation of the skull, which reduces the space for the brain. Symptoms typically appear between the ages of 6 months and 4 years. The first signs you might notice are sensitivity around the head, neck, or shoulders, with the dog sometimes whimpering, or frequently scratching at the area of his neck or shoulder, usually just on one side of the body, without actually making physical contact with the body (“air scratching”). They may try to scratch even when walking. For this reason, if your Cavalier is scratching, it’s important to take him to the vet to rule out SM.
I walked these two for a long time before, sadly, Tia died. This left a gaping hole in Jasper’s life and it was plainly obvious to see that he was suffering some kind of grief, trauma or melancholy from the loss of his friend.
He actually lost the joy of going outside. He also seemed to develop a fear of travelling anywhere that extended beyond the driveway. Over time his weight increased due to lack of physical exercise. Walking Jasper for the Cinnamon Trust was a long term commitment so I decided to make a plan to control his weight and retrain him to love the outdoors. I monitored his diet and rewarded any interest in sniffing the area around the house and walking forward. His appetite was good and enjoyed his food so I had no problem giving him food rewards for walking with me. I used the food in fun ways in the driveway but also gave him plenty of time just to breathe and sniff the world go by.
Jasper began to enjoy a short walk or two everyday and especially if accompanied by his favourite person, Amy. This long process was hampered by his loss of vision in later years due to corneal ulcers and we basically had to start the whole process again from scratch but he was absolutely worth it. He recovered his joy of exploring the outdoors and lived a full and happy life.
