It’s with a very heavy heart that we let you all know our sweet, spunky, senior girl, Shea, lost her battle with Cushings and sl
eep seizures last week. Her vet team thought the seizures were indicative of a brain tumor.
It’s not the outcome we had hoped for her, but she did have several great weeks of tail-wagging play and snuggles with her foster mom and her resident cavaliers. 
Congratulations to our sweet Daisy on her adoption!
We are so thankful for folks who open their hearts to senior pups. This former mill momma has really come out of her shell in foster care and is so ready for the love and attention from her forever family.
Please join us in wishing them many happy years together.
Rocky is resting up and looking forward to spending time with his forever family!
This sweet mill survivor has had a dental, lost 5 teeth, has been neutered, and learned the basics of being a much-loved pet. 
😉 He does have an asymptomatic grade 4-5 heart murmur that will need monitored in the years ahead.
Rocky is experiencing all the firsts: first bath, first walk on grass, first car ride, first nap on the couch and learning quickly. He’s so grateful for attention and we believe he will transition well from foster care to forever home.
* Rocky has been matched to a potential family so we are just accepting back-up applications at this time.
Do you know an elderly individual (a limited income or disabled) who needs assistance with their pet in Larimer County, Colorado? If so, the program, Pets Forever, may be a good resource for them. The program offers in-home care for the pets, companion dog walking, transport to groomers and vets, and delivery of food / supplies.
For more info visit the Pet’s Forever site at: http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/vth/diagnostic-and-support/community-programs/pets-forever/Pages/default.aspx
We thought you all might enjoying seeing the before & after this boy’s transformation while in foster care. The top picture was taken when he first came into foster care and the outdoor ones were taken last week. His skin infection (a typical complication of untreated Cushing’s disease) has resolved and his fur is growing back. Many thanks to his foster mom for his care and all of you who donated and supported our fundraisers so we could provide the veterinary care and surgeries he needed.
Duncan’s fur is starting to grow back in!
Duncan’s recovery continues. Look at that fur!
One of the tough realities of opening our hearts to a Cavalier (or any other dog) is that their life span does not match our own. While their life span may range 12-14 years (or longer), we all know that 25 years would not be enough! As our pups age, or deal with serious illnesses, managing their quality of life becomes key.
Since our work in the Cavalier Alliance is focused on senior and special-needs Cavaliers, we created a spreadsheet to track our dogs’ health while in the program and shared that data with our veterinary care providers and 24 hour animal hospital affiliates. We also shared the prototype with several families to see if they found the tracking helpful. We incorporated changes and now want to share it with you as a resource.
Of course, an assessment like this does not make recommendations as to quality of life decisions – it simply provides a tracking and a discussion point as to your dog’s health and activity levels. We recommend completing this assessment on an annual basis while they are healthy and more frequently (weekly or monthly) if in the midst of a more serious illness. You can download the pdf below:
Cavalier Alliance Quality of Life Assessment Chart
We hope you find it a useful tool in the on-going care of your Cavalier. If you find this chart and the other resources on our site useful, please consider making a donation to benefit the Cavaliers in our program.
Duncan, our long-term foster boy who has been struggling with Cushing’s disease, is finally on the mend. His recovery is progressing well and our vets tell us that most pups with this disease take 3 – 6 months to stabilize. Since joining our program, this sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has had four ACTH tests to ascertain his cortisol levels and had his medicines adjusted to stabilize him.
Due to the generosity of our donors, he has also had a much-needed dental, with extractions, to allow his gum disease to heal. His tail was also amputated – only part-way – a complication of his untreated Cushing’s disease.
Now his skin is healing, his fur is growing back and he loves to wander the garden. Take a look at his latest home movie!
Duncan is ready for adoption and a more detailed overview is posted on our Rescue page. At this time, he is taking a daily dose of Trilosane to manage his Cushing’s disease and will be on it for the rest of his life.
If you would like to contribute to Duncan’s on-going care, please consider sending a donation to our paypal account (cavalierhelp@cavalieralliance.org) or consider sending a check to our address at: 64 Cedarwood Road, Boxborough, MA 01719.
Cushing’s disease, otherwise known as Hyperadrenocorticism, is a condition that results when the body produces too much cortisol.
Our foster boy, Dudley-Duncan has Cushing’s disease and just started treatment. Fortunately, he’s responding well to treatment! You can read more about the disease, in the link below:
The Cavalier Alliance is pleased to announce that our Q2 Cavalier Alliance Care Grant application period is now open. Our goal is to provide limited financial assistance grants to Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pet owners who are in need of help paying for veterinary care for their adopted and / or rescued Cavalier. The typical grant ranges from $25-200 per quarter based on (1) medical urgency, (2) financial need, (3) available funding, and (4) eligibility.
For more information, please download the application below. Completed applications can be submitted via email to cavalierhelp@cavalieralliance.org or mailed to our corporate office at 64 Cedarwood Road, Boxborough, MA 01719.
Delilah’s arrival photo
During the summer of 2013. I was starting to think about adopting another Cavalier as a “sibling” for my Florence. Diane Lombardo sent me information about a senior named Delilah along with her pictures. Delilah had come from a backyard breeder and did not look like the typical, fluffy Cavaliers I had seen. Delilah was shaved down, skinny, and looked so pathetic. She was 11 years old and had a heart condition. Diane told me to “think about it” because “she is a total love bug”. You could also navigate to this website to get the right kind of trainer and train your dog.
Well I loaded up the car with Florence to meet Delilah and Ken Kates, her current foster parent. It was love at first sight! Delilah jumped into my arms and that was it! After a few months under my care, Delilah started to look like a Cavalier! Her fur grew in and she put on some weight. What struck me though was Delilah’s personality! She was happy all the time, her tail constantly wagged. She had pep and spirit! Delilah was outgoing and had no fear! You could check my site here and understand the right way to get your dog trained and disciplined. Five Tips For Dog Training As A Family gives out easy tricks to be followed to train your dogs effortlessly with a professional touch.
I can’t imagine my life without Delilah! She brings me so much joy and I’m glad that I am able to provide her with a better life. Senior dogs have just as much vigor and life as younger dogs! People tend to want to get younger dogs, because they will be around longer, etc., but older, senior dogs should be given a second chance because they give so much life! – Jennifer Wierski
Lovely Delilah – now 13
