Dog caught mystery canine illness in Sherwood Forest

A Kimberley couple said they were terrified their dog would die after it picked up a mystery disease on a woodland walk.

Stephen and Alex Windsor are warning other dog walkers after their Cockapoo Frankie fell ill on Monday morning.

Vets believe the dog caught a strange condition experts have linked to woodlands, which is often fatal.

Stephen first noticed a change in Frankie’s behaviour after a walk in Sherwood Forest on Saturday.

The worried couple took the 17-month-old dog to a vet, where she was diagnosed with Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI), which has affected hundreds of dogs across Britain, but is poorly understood.

Mr Windsor said: “When I came downstairs on Monday morning she had been sick during the night, and there was a lot of saliva as well.

Frankie2

Picture: Frankie is now on the mend

“All that morning she was incredibly lethargic, and the saliva was the biggest indicator she was unwell, and her little moans just showed she couldn’t settle at all.”

A vet discovered Frankie had harvest mites which had attached themselves to her skin, although it’s not clear if these were connected to her illness.

No-one really knows the cause

Tom Chalkley, from Lawrence Veterinary Centre in Eastwood, treated Frankie.

He said: “SCI is an illness that’s become apparent in the last five years, it’s poorly understood – there’s been research but no one really knows the cause or why these animals get it.”

The illness usually appears between August and November.

Sherwood Forest
Picture: Sherwood Forest, where Frankie became ill

Plants, chemical poisoning and water contamination have all been ruled out as the cause.

Mr Chalkley said dog walkers should be vigilant and consider avoiding some of the major risk areas.

Other cases have been reported in recent years after owners walked dogs in Bestwood Park, Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest, causing worry amongst pet owners.

The illness was first spotted in 2009, when 12 dogs died across Britain. Since then dozens of cases have been reported in Notts, some fatal.

The Animal Health Trust is appealing for the public to report any bouts of the illness so that they can continue studying it to work out the cause.

SCI: Symptoms to look out for

  • Lethargy
  • Rash
  • Sickness and diarrhoea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Shaking or trembling
  • High temperature
  • Unconsciousness

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