‘Mystery’ vomiting bug warning issued for pet owners

The British Veterinary Association has issued a statement following reports of an illness in dogs this winter.

Over 150 dogs so far in England have fallen sick with gastroenteritis-like symptoms, including prolific vomiting and diarrhoea.

There have since been reports in Leeds, Sheffield, the Midlands, and even as far south as Devon. There have not yet been any confirmed cases in Northern Ireland.

The illness is most likely a virus but has not yet been identified. Humans don’t appear to be at risk.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) advise that with prompt veterinary treatment almost all dogs make a full recovery from this uncommonly violent gastric bug.

Dr Justine Shotton, President of the British Veterinary Association said: “Vets see gastroenteritis cases relatively commonly in practice, but numbers seem to be increasing and more widespread than usual.

“At this time, we can’t speculate on what might be causing the symptoms, and there is currently no evidence to suggest a direct link between the illness and the dogs visiting the beaches.

“With gastroenteritis, most cases are mild, but some dogs may need hospitalisation with a drip. In the worst situations, it can become haemorrhagic leading to secondary complications or even death, but that is very rare.

“We saw something similar a couple of years ago, and the latest data from the University of Liverpool’s veterinary surveillance database points to the spike being part of normal seasonal variation at the moment.”

Symptoms to look out for:

• Vomiting of 5 or more episodes in a 12-hour period which can stop for a period (such as overnight) and then starts again

• Unable to keep water down at peak vomiting stage

• Anorexia and lethargy for 2-5 days

• Diarrhoea

The BVA’s advice to concerned owners is to contact your local vet for prompt treatment, if your dog shows any signs of illness.

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• mystery illness
• Dogs
• british veterinary association