In November 2005 we got our first puppy. We’d just relocated and I was going to be between jobs and renovating the new house so, because I was going to be around most of the time, it was the perfect time for us.
The top three breeds on our ‘Wanted’ list were a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a Shih Tzu and a Bichon Frise.
Not knowing any better, I went on a site called Epupz and bought the fist one I could get that was going to be ready to leave it’s mum soonest. It happened to be a Blenheim Cavalier.
I paid a deposit and was assured by the breeder that I could meet the puppy’s mum on collection – the only question I’d heard I should ask.
I arrived at the agreed time at a house on a run down Leeds estate where most of the houses had cast iron gates across the doors and windows.
I was shown into the living room which, notably only contained a huge £4k TV on the wall and 2 sofas along with 2 indoor rabbit hutches of the plastic tank variety. In one was a little of 10 English Bull Terriers and in the other a little of 8 Cavaliers. No other dogs were in the house and I was informed that the Cavaliers’ mother had been sold the day before (make of that what you will). The puppies were only 6 weeks old.
My puppy was handed to me along with a small amount of food and I drove home. When we arrived home and I put her on the floor ,she could barely walk on her own and it was obvious she’d never been out of the tank.
However, she thrived and became a much loved member of the family.
Minty was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Disease, a congenital problem common in Cavaliers, at the age of five. Luckily she showed no symptoms until after her tenth birthday, when she died suddenly from heart failure after being ill for two days.
Minty’s Kennel Club Registration Certificate shows that her parents had been health checked but this did not necessarily include heart tests as this is not a requirement of the registration process.
We’ve been incredibly lucky with Minty as she only had symptoms for a very short time and the end came very quickly. Many other dogs suffer for years with Mitral Valve Disease and other common Cavalier problems.
This heartbreak could be prevented if all breeders were responsible and conducted valid health tests on their dogs before breeding them, and not breeding dogs that are shown to have problems.
I now know that anyone buying a pure bred dog should demand to see health certificates for both parents before buying a puppy and that the mother should be at least 2 1/2 years old before being bred, in order that any health problems would be apparent. Also, the mother should be available for viewing either before or at the point of collecting the puppy.
There are many other factors that should be taken into account and even when precautions are take there are no guarantees but it is vitally important that puppies are only bought from reputable breeders, preferably on recommendation from people who have had their dogs in the past.
We’re privileged to have had so may happy years with Minty and she has left a huge hole in our lives, but I hope that her story will encourage others to not fall into the same trap that I did and buy only from responsible breeders.
To sign the petition asking the Kennel Club to only register puppies whose parents have both been MRI and heart tested, please click here.
RIP Minty.
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