New heart scheme trialled for Cavaliers
The KC/VCS scheme will provide a ‘traffic light’ system to inform owners about the level of MVD in their dog.
A new scheme has been developed to reduce mitral valve disease (MVD) in Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
Created by the Kennel Club and Veterinary Cardiovascular Society (VCS), the scheme is set to be trialled on 100 dogs over the coming months, before being rolled out to all owners and breeders later on in the year.
MVD is a serious, progressive heart disorder that affects more than 40 per cent of Cavaliers in the UK alone.
The scheme was adapted from a Danish method of testing for early MVD in the breed, which resulted in a 73 per cent reduction in the risk of mitral valve murmurs in dogs whose parents were tested. It is the only Cavalier heart scheme to be validated by scientific evidence in a 10-year period.
Professor Lisbeth Hoier Olsen from the University of Copenhagen recently provided training for 18 members of the VCS, using the Danish method.
The KC/VCS scheme will provide a ‘traffic light’ system to inform owners about the level of MVD in their dog, so they can make informed decisions about breeding.
Working alongside the VCS, the Kennel Club is organising trial sessions with representatives of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel community. It is the first official collaboration between all parties involved in the working group for Cavalier heart problems.
VCS cardiologist Hannah Stephenson said: “The cardiologists involved with the new scheme, and the VCS as a whole, are delighted that further progress is being made with heart testing of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the UK.
“As a society we are keen to reduce the incidence of Mitral Valve Disease in the breed, a condition that we all see on a daily basis. We look forward to working with the Kennel Club and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owners and breeders through the trial and beyond.”
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
