Dog owners across the UK are on high alert as a new mystery disease is causing serious illnesses in their furry family members.
Initial reports linked the disease to the beach after 150 dogs fell ill after a stay on the North Yorkshire coast.
However, the worrying dog bug appears to be spreading inland at an alarming rate for families with puppies.
Pet owners have been urged on Facebook to avoid beaches like Scarborough and Saltburn after veterinary practices in the area raised their concerns, while York, Leeds and Sheffield have also seen cases.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) says the disease causes “unusually severe gastroenteritis-like symptoms”, while the vet who first reported the disease says she has been “inundated with cases” since the first reports surfaced.
What are the symptoms?
The most commonly reported symptoms, highlighted by both veterinarians and owners, are:
- Severe vomiting – five or more episodes within 12 hours
- severe diarrhea
- Significant Dehydration – Unable to keep water down
- weakness and weight loss
While these symptoms are common with most canine diseases and usually go away without treatment, if they persist, contact your veterinarian immediately to avoid further deterioration.
BVA President Justine Shotton advises dog owners not to panic. In the vast majority of cases, dogs make a full recovery.
She said: “When it comes to gastroenteritis, most cases are mild but some dogs may need to be hospitalized with an IV. In the worst situations, bleeding can occur, leading to secondary complications or even death, but this is very rare.”
How fast is it spreading?
There has been an increase in cases in the area since reports first emerged from the Yorkshire coast, according to the latest figures from the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET).
Brogan-Alexandra Proud, who runs Yorkshire Coast Pet Care, first sounded the alarm about the disease on January 10.
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She warned dog walkers that she was “inundated with dogs coming off the beaches with vomiting and diarrhea.”
“It’s still pretty much the same. The situation hasn’t changed,” she said. “It’s still spreading fast. Whatever it is, it’s spreading like wildfire.”
From the coast start, inland owners are now reporting symptoms.
How is it spread?
dr Shotton believes the disease is not coast-related and is instead caused by a virus.
She said: “We are aware of an increase in dogs coming down with gastroenteritis-like symptoms in several parts of Yorkshire and the North East.”
“At this time we cannot speculate as to what might be at play in this situation and there is currently no evidence to suggest a direct link between the disease and the dogs that visit the beaches.”
Cases have also been reported elsewhere in the country – both inland and on the coast – but according to SAVSNET these correspond to normal seasonal fluctuations so far.