Not all English Toy Spaniels will get any or all of these diseases, but it's important to be aware of them if you're considering this breed.

• Patellar Luxation: Also known as "slipped stifles," this is a common problem in small dogs. It is caused when the patella, which has three parts--the femur (thigh bone), patella (knee cap), and tibia (calf)--is not properly lined up. This causes a lameness in the leg or an abnormal gait in the dog. It is a disease that is present at birth although the actual misalignment or luxation does not always occur until much later. The rubbing caused by patellar luxation can lead to arthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease. There are four grades of Patellar Luxation ranging from grade I, which is an occasional luxation causing temporary lameness in the joint, to grade IV, in which the turning of the tibia is severe and the patella cannot be realigned manually. This gives the dog a bowlegged appearance. Severe grades of patellar luxation may require surgical repair.
• Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA): Patent Ductus Arteriosis, or PDA, is a common congenital heart disease that is found in many different breeds. It occurs when the ductus arteriosis, a large vessel or shunt that causes an unborn puppy's blood to pass through the heart and bypass the lungs, fails to close after birth. When that happens, fluid accumulates in the lungs, resulting in labored breathing, fainting, dizzy spells, coughing, heart murmurs, collapse, and heart failure. Patent ductus arteriosis is repaired with surgery.
• Mitral Valve Insufficiency: Mitral Valve Insufficiency, also known as mitral valve disease or chronic valve disease, is most commonly seen in older dogs and occurs when the mitral valve, which is found between the left atrium and ventricle, begins to fail. When this happens, the mitral valve fails to prevent the flow of blood back into the left atrium. This can cause many devastating side effects, including heart failure. Signs of this disease are a heart murmur, fluid in the lungs, an enlarged heart, lack of energy, and a decrease of strength to the heart muscle. It can be treated for a time with medication, diet, and a restriction of exercise. It helps to keep your Charlie at a healthy weight and his teeth clean and healthy.
• Cleft Palate: The palate is the roof of the mouth and separates the nasal and oral cavities. It is made up of two parts, hard and soft. A cleft palate has a slit that runs bilaterally or unilaterally and can range in size from a small hole to a large slit. A cleft palate can affect both the hard and soft palate separately and together and may cause a cleft lip. Puppies can be born with cleft palates, or a cleft palate can occur from an injury. Cleft palates are fairly common in dogs, but many puppies born with a cleft palate do not survive or are euthanized by the breeder. The only treatment for a cleft palate is surgery to close the hole, although not all dogs with a cleft palate require the surgery. It is important to get a diagnosis and treatment recommendation from your veterinarian.
• Cryptorchidism: Cryptorchidism is when one or both testicles on the dog fail to descend and is common in small dogs. Testicles should descend fully by the time the puppy is 2 months old. If the testicle is retained, it is usually nonfunctional and can become cancerous if it is not medically treated. The treatment that is suggested is to neuter your dog. When the neutering takes place, a small incision will be made to remove the undescended testicle(s); the normal testicle, if any, is removed in the regular manner.
• Seborrhea: Seborrhea is a skin disorder that is categorized as two types: seborrhea oleosa (oily skin) and seborrhea sicca (dry skin). The signs of both are dry, flaky skin, a terrible "doggy smell," and itching, and it is usually accompanied by other ear and skin infections. The causes of seborrhea can be metabolic disorders, allergies, internal and external parasites, and autoimmune diseases. Before treatment can begin, the underlying cause must be determined. Once it is, seborrhea can be treated quite easily with a change in diet, high quality shampoos and conditioners, and occasionally with medication.
• Retinal Dysplasia: Retinal Dysplasia is most commonly a congenital hereditary disease, meaning the dog is born with it and it was passed to him by his parents, but it can also result from trauma or prenatal herpesvirus or parvovirus infections. It can be mild or severe and is caused by an abnormal development of the retina, resulting in retinal folds. This can lead to a variety of vision problems for the dog ranging from a small blind spot to total blindness. Retinal dysplasia can be detected as early as six to eight weeks of age. There is no known treatment for retinal dysplasia, but many blind dogs live full lives, and their other senses compensate for the vision impairment.
• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: Legg-Calve-Perthes disease affects the hip joint and results in a deformity of the hip joint ball. It starts with a decrease in the blood supply to the head of the femur bone until the bone eventually dies off and collapses and becomes deformed. The result of this deformation is arthritis or inflammation of the hip joint. It is unclear what causes Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Dogs with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease may chew at the hip, move stiffly or painfully, develop progressive lameness, or seem irritable. Treatment is usually strict crate rest, physical therapy, and surgically removing the deformed femoral head and neck. Prognosis is generally very good after the surgery and many dogs suffer only minor lameness, particularly during weather changes.
• Hydrocephalus: When the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain accumulates either because of a congenital defect, obstruction, or the result of perinatal trauma, it places pressure on the brain. This usually occurs in young dogs under the age of 18 months and older dogs that are over 6 years of age. If hydrocephalus is left untreated the dog will die. The obstruction can be removed surgically or through insertion of a shunt.
• Umbilical Hernia: Umbilical hernia is a condition that is present at birth in which abdominal fat or internal organs protrude against the abdominal wall near the umbilicus. If the hernia is small, it can be left without treatment. Some small hernias close spontaneously by the time the puppy is 6 months old, and some dogs have lived with small hernias their entire lives without difficulty. Large hernias require surgery, which is often done when the dog is being spayed or neutered. Surgery is used to prevent a more serious condition where an intestine loop drops into the hernia causing life threatening "strangulation" of the intestine.
• Open Fontanel: English Toy Spaniels are born with a soft spot on the top of their head. Usually the soft spot closes, much like a baby's will, but sometimes one will not close fully. Of course, a dog should never be struck, but it's important to understand that even an accidental blow to that spot on the head could kill an English Toy Spaniel with an open fontanel.
• Fused Toes: Fused toes are a common trait in the English Toy Spaniel and should not be confused with any form of disease or disorders.

If you're buying a puppy, find a good breeder who will show you health clearances for both your puppy's parents. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

In English Toy Spaniels, you should expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease; from Auburn University for thrombopathia; and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) certifying that eyes are normal. You can confirm health clearances by checking the OFA web site (offa.org).

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