Sadie, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is my best buddy. She was born in June of 2012 and joined our family in August of that year. Sadie travels with us as often as we will allow. Obviously the extreme temperatures of summer as well as those of winter limit her opportunities.
Sadie was born with a genetic defect. She has Chiari Malformation. The disease is very common in Cavaliers. Her condition dictates the necessity for multiple medications. The pills, which are well-hided inside spoonfuls of peanut butter, are administered to her three times a day. Without the medications Sadie’s life would be unbearable. While we would prefer that her regimen of regularly dosed meds would totally eliminate her discomfort, sadly they do not. We regularly witness the break-out episodes which manifest from her pain.
In spite of Sadie’s debilitating condition she finds opportunities to find joy in her life. Her tanacity to reach beyond her discomfort to experience the world around her amazes us everyday. One of the ways in which she finds pleasure is a ride in her Burly.
Regular exercise experienced by normal dogs, such as going for a walk, is out of the question for Sadie. The increased activity causes her a great deal of discomfort. To make it possible for Sadie to move about beyond her normal surroundings we purchased her a Burly. She absolutely loves going for rides in her Burly.
I decided to write this story today because I happened to see her photo on my computer desktop. I couldn’t help smiling at her innocent little face. Her smile makes it impossible to ignore. I also wanted to share her disease with the hope of drawing attention to it. There are far too many dogs that suffer from this affliction.
I feel blessed to have Sadie in my life. I can’t imagine being without her.
What a sweet dog!
Thank you! I think so too!
Sadie looks so sweet, I am sorry she has to have a challenging medical condition but I bet she is getting lots of love and having as best a quality life as can with you.
Awe, sweet. Thank you!
I just found out about this lsat year. I was diagnosed with a Chiari Malformation. Mine is very mild so they won’t do anything for it. I did not know dogs had them as well. It was scary learning about this problem. Glad you are spreading awareness.
I love the picture of your dog! Would you allow me to use it to make a dog portrait in fabric. I am needing a new one to advertise my pet portraits at my craft shows. I understand it you prefer me not too. Thanks for considering it. You can see some examples here – http://doloresquilts.wixsite.com/mysite
I am very sorry that you have Chiari. As I mentioned in my post Chiari Malformation is prevalent in Cavalier’s. Sadie’s breeder denied any responsibility for her condition. She did offer to take her back but we were concerned about what Sadie’s future might be. So we declined. The pain and discomfort she endures tears my heart out. At times all I can do is sit back and watch as she writhes in pain. No amount of comforting helps her during these episodes. I’m thankful that you have a mild case of Chiari. Hopefully it stays that way. I will consider your request to use Sadie’s photo.