Ginger’s Longevity

On Thursday, July 16, 2020 our beautiful girl, Ginger crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.  She lost her battle to CHF, a battle that she fought for 9 long months.  She lived to be 14 1/2 year; we were blessed to have her in our lives and yet we still miss her very much.  Many people have contacted me asking me questions regarding her longevity. Sadly, some cavalier owners that I have spoken to have lost their Cavaliers at the age of 8 some younger.  Why? No one knows. I am often asked about Ginger and all I can do is share what we did when she was with us.  As a disclaimer, I am not a Veterinarian or professional. These are personal decisions that we made in regards to her care, you know your dog and need to do what you think is best.

Diet:  We first got Ginger at 4 months old; I always kept her on a low fat diet.  She was on a mix of cooked food that I cooked in a crock-pot along with a mix of high quality kibble.  I would also rotate her food every 6 to 8 months.  A high quality diet is important, please do your own research and read the labels.  Sadly, they add a lot of junk into their food that does not provide any nutritional value.

Exercise:  As lap dogs, cavaliers would love nothing more than to lounge all day with their owner but exercise is very important.  We walked Ginger everyday a least four times or we would let her run around the yard in which she always tried to catch up with the squirrels.  Inside she had many toys to keep her busy throughout the day.  Physical activity is very important!

Vaccines:   As far as vaccines, we only had the Vet give Ginger her Core vaccines.  Those included canine parvovirus, distemper and rabies.  We only boarded her once and so she did get the Bordatella vaccine since the boarding facility required it.  Fortunately, we were able to find someone to care for her when we went on vacation.  If you want more information on the difference between core and non-core vaccines speak to your pet’s veterinarian.

Supplements:  Ginger was on a multi-vitamin.  As she got older we gave her Glucosamine and chondroitin.  As her heart condition worsened, we put her on other supplements as well, to help with her heart.  We did this with the guidance and assistance of a holistic vet that she was seeing at the time.

Heartworm/Flea medication: We only gave these during the summer months we live in New Jersey and have all four seasons.  We would start treatment early May and stop late September, early October.  I never treated her during the winter months. I just personally felt there was no need and we never ran into any problems with fleas during the winter months.  Her blood work and stool samples always came back clear.

Dental:  Keeping your dog’s teeth cleaned is also very important.  Brushing your dog’s teeth will help with this and prevent plaque/tartar from building up into the gums, which can potentially cause an infection.  Heart disease and other cardiovascular-related conditions increases as dental disease worsens, so regular dental cleanings can not only help reduce bad breath, tooth decay, tooth bone loss, but also may reduce your dog’s risk of heart disease.   Mitral valve disease of the heart is the leading cause of death in Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Lastly, I cannot stress the importance of wellness checkups.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Bringing your dog in regularly is very important.  When she was healthy we would bring her in once a year, they would do a blood work panel, check her heart, ears, teeth, etc. Of course with her heart condition, I had to take her in more often and she was also under the care of a Cardiologist.  If something is wrong with your dog, take them to the vet do not wait.  Catching something early will hopefully provide a better outcome.

As I mentioned above, these were my personal decisions when it came to her care.   I often ask myself, did doing all of this prolong her life?  I will never know.  I am just grateful she was in our lives for 14 1/2 years, although I wish it could have been longer.  We truly miss our little darling.

Always follow your heart when it comes to the care of your dog. More importantly find a vet that you are comfortable with.  A good vet will never judge you for the decisions you make regarding your dogs care.

Here’s wishing to a long and healthy life for your loving companion!