cocker spaniel: a small breed with wavy silky hair; originally developed in England
spaniel: any of several breeds of small to medium-sized gun dogs with a long silky coat and long frilled ears
respiratory distress syndrome: an acute lung disease of the newborn (especially the premature newborn); lungs cannot expand because of a wetting agent is lacking; characterized by rapid shallow breathing and cyanosis and the formation of a glassy hyaline membrane over the alveoli