Dog owners in the South Lakes have been put on high alert as a serious mystery stomach illness which has been spreading throughout the area.

Vets have reported numerous cases of what appears to be a severe gastroenteritis-like disease, causing persistent vomiting and diarrhoea, that so far has vets and scientists puzzled.

The Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) have appealed to vets throughout the country to report any cases and send any biological samples, but there is currently no clear evidence as to the nature of the illness as Kendal-based Veterinary Surgeon Mhairi Helme explained:

"As vets, we do see gastroenteritis in dogs all the time, there are many different causes and it can be difficult to diagnose the exact cause.

"With the current cases we are seeing, there’s a huge range of severity, but we can’t yet say if these cases are all linked, with a common cause.

"Dogs can feel very unwell with gastroenteritis, and can develop blood in the vomit and diarrhoea (Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, which would always need a visit to the vet).

"In my opinion some of the recent cases I’ve seen have taken a bit longer to respond to standard medication. But all of the cases I have treated myself have gone on to make a full recovery.

"It’s likely to be infectious and may be viral, which makes sense in my opinion.

"SAVSNET has now advised that there are enough cases in Yorkshire for this to be considered as an outbreak, but elsewhere, such as Cumbria, from the information so far, it may still be considered as a normal seasonal variation in case numbers.”

Mhairi explained that vomiting will always be taken seriously by your veterinary surgeon as dogs can become dehydrated if unable to keep fluids down, she advises owners to contact your vet if you are at all concerned. 

"I have seen a few vomiting cases this year with the vomiting lasting more than the usual 24-48 hours and some with very prominent abdominal lymph nodes.

"Sometimes it can be difficult to tell from examination alone whether they are definitely lymph nodes or something that the dog has swallowed, moving through the intestine or causing a blockage (we call this a foreign body).

"If your vet is concerned about the possibility of a foreign body, we will offer imaging which usually means an X ray or an ultrasound scan and, if confirmed, some foreign bodies do need surgical removal.

"Some dogs, especially younger dogs really can swallow some very surprising objects, so we are very careful to consider foreign bodies and not just assume a dog does have gastroenteritis.”

Mhairi stresses that, until the exact nature of the illness is known, owners should be careful in terms of mixing with dogs known to have vomiting or diarrhoea, or taking your own dog out and about to commonly used areas if they have symptoms, to minimise spread.  

"Sometimes we can find a problem is environmental - Alabama Rot, for example, a rare condition, which can damage blood vessels and lead to skin lesions and kidney injury in dogs is known to have some association with woodland and muddy areas.

"The actual cause of Alabama Rot is still not known but is the subject of ongoing research.

"There were some initial concerns that this gastroenteritis outbreak may be linked to beaches, but we are seeing suspected cases inland too, we can't say anything for definite yet."

Most importantly Mhairi wanted to ask owners not to feel overly worried. SAVSNET reports that affected dogs usually make a full recovery and there is no known risk to people.:

"I am so grateful to SAVSNET for the fantastic work they do for our pets".

Oakhill Veterinary Group in Windermere have offered some advice to worried pet owners:

"Veterinary attention should be sought if you dog:

  • Has vomited more than 5 times in a 12 hour period
  • Is unable to keep fluids down
  • Has had lethargy or anorexia for 2-5 days
  • Has significant diarrhoea of varying consistency

"Full recovery can take 5- 10 days."

"Appropriate personal hygiene should be used when cleaning up after your dog, ideally people should not be walking their dogs if they have these symptoms to try and reduce the spread to others. "Additionally, cleaning up thoroughly after your dogs whether at home or out and about is essential to try and prevent and further spread of this nasty virus."