Cavaliers Living with SM: Six Observations From the Front-Line

Trisha was diagnosed with Syringomeylia at 2 1/2 years of age although her symptoms began at 18 months. Having been a very diligent / slight obsessed mommy to Trisha, I learned so much about the disease by observing her behavior and reactions to her surroundings overtime. Honestly, I think Trisha was very good at communicating her preferences and needs. She was expressive! I'm sure she thought it took me way too much time to catch on. If you have a Cav with SM, I hope the following observations are helpful in accelerating your learning curve:

- Head-up: Trisha always slept with her head propped up. Her favorite spot was the back of my couch because she could get her body positioned lower than her head. If she was on the floor, she would rest her head on top of her paw. My guess is that it relieved any strain on her neck which is a highly sensitive area for SM dogs. (see picture below)

- Lifting-up and Holding: When picking Trisha up, I was careful to lift her front and hind quarters at the same time so that no pressure would be placed on her neck. My left hand would go underneath her chest bone and my right hand would go right between her legs sort of cupping the bone on her hind-end. I would lift her up straight. Then, I'd let her rest her forearms over top my left forearm while cradling her back feet in my right hand / forearm. This kept Trisha comfortable as I wasn't touching sensitive areas. Healthy Cavs are super cuddly. Cavs with SM don't want to be touched around their necks and down their spines.

Phantom Scratching: If Trisha was having a phantom scratching episode, I would pick her up as noted above and hold her back-end firmly. I would walk around from window to window to distract her from the discomfort she was feeling. I believe the phantom scratching - which is reaction to tingling or pain -actually increased Trisha's anxiety. The sooner I could get the scratching to stop, the sooner she could rest comfortably.

- Keeping it Cool: My house was set at 68 degrees year round. That seemed to be the perfect temperature for keeping Trisha comfortable. If the house ever became warmer due to seasonal changes, she would make her way down to the hard wood floor or ceramic tile in the kitchen. Trisha enjoyed being outdoors except when it was extremely cold (below 30), extremely hot (above 85), windy, and/or humid. She also hated the rain, but I think that might just be a Cav thing! :-)

- Mouth Curling: When Trisha was uncomfortable, her upper lip would curl up slightly. It wasn't enough to show her teeth but it was distinct.

- Avoiding Children: From an early age, Trisha became afraid of little children. It's not that she didn't like them. They would unintentionally hurt her by petting her too hard especially down her spine. Trisha was so friendly and would greet all adults. She learned to duck when a hand would come towards her head or neck. With children, the hands would come too fast and she couldn't maneuver around them. When children would ask to pet my Trisha, I would have to tell them no. (I felt horrible but had to be the voice for my girl.)

If you have a Cavalier with SM and have made any keen observations, please, please share them! I will be sure to write a follow-up post with audience suggestions!