Dog owners urged to be on the watch for mystery autumnal illness Copyright © Thinkstock Veterinary charity the Animal Health Trust is warning dog owners to stay vigilant for the signs of seasonal canine illness (SCI), a mystery seasonal illness which in recent years has claimed lives and made a number of other dogs seriously ill. Cases of SCI typically begin to appear between August and November with dogs showing clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhoea and/or lethargy within 24 to 72 hours of being walked in woodland. Dog owners are advised to seek immediate veterinary advice should they see these signs in their dog following a woodland walk. The AHT has been investigating SCI since 2010 at five sites across Norfolk, Nottinghamshire and Suffolk. That same year 20% of dogs found to have the illness subsequently died, but reassuringly less than 2% of dogs in 2012 died as a result, largely thanks to an increase in owner awareness and early veterinary intervention. Charlotte Robin, SCI Research Co-ordinator at the AHT, says: “We’ve had a fantastic response to our request for information from dog owners who have walked at our study sites, but unfortunately this information doesn’t yet point to a definitive cause." “Information provided to us certainly shows that if dogs get veterinary treatment quickly for SCI signs, they tend to recover within seven to ten days. Despite no definite cause being recognised, the AHT has identified a number of common themes which may increase a dog’s susceptibility to SCI." Charlotte added: “A number of cases reported to us have had an infestation of harvest mites. Similarly, our evidence shows that dogs which have travelled further to one of the study sites have more chance of developing SCI. At the moment we do not know if this is an effect of potential immunity in local dogs, or another factor due to dogs travelling long distances.” Advice The AHT is advising dog owners planning to visit woodlands this autumn to ensure that their pets are up-to-date with preventive treatments for external parasites. Products available without prescription may not offer sufficient protection against mites so the AHT is urging dog owners to contact their vet to discuss which options are suitable. Charlotte says: “We cannot say for definite that travel or Harvest mites are associated with causing SCI, but ensuring your dog has access to clean water and is protected from external parasites is all part of good dog ownership. Talk to your vet about spray treatments which can be applied to feet, legs and other exposed areas of skin immediately before walking as these may offer better protection against mites than spot-on treatments. These may just help in giving your pet a better chance of avoiding SCI.” [undefined] Questionnaire The AHT is requesting that dog owners who walk their dogs at any of the five study sites: Sandringham Estate or Thetford Forest, Norfolk, Clumber Park or Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire or Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, to complete its online questionnaire at aht.org.uk/sci Charlotte added: “We desperately need information from dog owners which have been walked at any of our study sites, even if they did not become ill. The information we can glean from owners of dogs who walked at the sites and didn’t show clinical signs of SCI is just as important to our investigation as the information from affected dogs.” Since the cause of the illness still remains unclear, any dog could be at risk of contracting SCI from walking in woodland at any location during autumn. The AHT advises dog owners to remain vigilant and to seek veterinary advice immediately if they suspect their dog has SCI.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 13:33:18 +0000
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