What if your Cavalier Springer Spaniel was scratching excessively but not show any evidence of a skin issue?
Ella was a 4-year-old female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She was the love of her mom’s life. Those two were inseparable and deeply bonded.
First symptoms
When Ella was about 2-years-old, she started scratching herself more than usual. Nothing major, just enough for Ella’s mom to notice.
Their vet concluded Ella was having food allergies. So they started searching for food that would agree with Ella. A few months later, Ella’s mom also noticed that there was something odd about the way Ella would go up the stairs. But while at the vet’s office, there was nothing conspicuous in the way Ella moved and acted.
That is, unfortunately, quite common. Dogs often don’t exhibit symptoms while at the veterinary clinic. Increased adrenaline can mask signs of pain and other symptoms.
Scratching at the ears
Ella’s continuous scratching at her ears was diagnosed as an ear infection. She received treatment but was not improving.
With time, more symptoms cropped up. Ella also seemed unusually tired after a daycare visit of play with her buddies while being restless at night. It seemed as she just couldn’t get comfortable.
None of those things seem all that unusual or serious. However, Ella’s mom felt that something was happening but nobody was catching on.
Symptoms pile up
At one point, Ella started hiding under furniture, shaking her head all the time, and having a seriously hard time walking up the stairs.
The veterinarian insisted that those things are caused by an ear infection and allergies. Could that really be the reason behind all that?
What do you make of Ella’s symptoms? What would you do if Ella was your dog?
Read Ella’s story.
Further reading:
Syringomyelia in Small Dogs: Chiari Malformation—The Cost of the Adorable Appearance