So today, I submitted my syringomyelia dissertation first draft! It stills needs polishing and I'm going to look around see if there is any extra detail I can put into it, but for now I'm happy :)
Syringomyelia is a prevalent condition seen in the CKCS. Signs normally develop by the age of 3, but can be delayed to as late as age 7. It is characterised by the build up of extra-cellular fluid in the spinal cord which coalesces into syrinxes (cysts) due to blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid flow. It can affect as many as 50% of Cavaliers with around 92% possessing the foremost predisposition to the disease which is known as the Chiari-like malformation which is pictured above. The question I investigated is below:
A Review of the Caudal Fossa and
Occipital Bone(s); How They Are Currently Implicated in the Development of
Syringomyelia in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CCKS)?
It was an interesting adventure which was frustrating at times, but its finally nearly completed. I can't post my conclusions on it until after it has been marked and tweaked but I'm pretty pleased with it.
Syringomyelia presents with neuropathic pain symptoms which can even result in euthanasia in some cases. Extreme effects include scoliosis (pictured), pelvic limb weakness and the inability to walk. I'll update a lot more information about the condition as the weeks go. The condition is caused because the brain of the cavalier is too big, and this results in the brain overcrowding the skull and the cerebellum herniating through the little hole which the spinal cord goes through which is the foramen magnum. 
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