**Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

I don't want to cause alarm, but I would like to make dog owners aware of a mysery illness in Clumber/Sherwood/Sandringham/Lincs. aeas which is causing dogs to become very sick and die. From the news it appears to be a seasonal problem and is some sort of naturally occurring poisoning. It is not someone deliberately laying poison and is thought to be connected to the weather conditions. Blue green algae and/or some sort of fungus spores have been thought to be connected with the problem.

There was an outbreak of the same thing last year and dog owners are being told to be careful. Affected dogs will beome ill quite quickly with vomitting and diarrhoea and can die.

I was made aware of this by my neighbour this morning whose collie pup has been quite ill over the last few days. My pup Bonnie has been affected by something similar, but she appears to have got away quite lightly - and her problem might not have been connected.

Please Google "dogs poisoned in Clumber park" for more information.

I know Plantman "Barry" lives in Sherwood area - perhaps he knows something about this problem.

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Ironically we were just talking of this yesterday whilst out on our walk with Oscar, but we are no wiser now than we have been over the last couple of years. No-one seems to know the cause although the main suspect seems to be some kind of fungal spore. It is so hard to nail down because so very few dogs, out of the tens of thousands of dogs walked, are actually affected by the problem.

Although dogs have been very ill and in some cases died, it is thought that the animal needs to have an allergy to the cause in the first place to be affected, a bit like hay fever sufferers for example. However, I know no more than anyone else and all we have really is rumour, theory and conjecture. Let's just hope that whatever it is, it passes quickly and any dogs that are affected fully recover.

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

It is a worry for people in these areas, I wonder if vets have done any Post Mortems .

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Apparently they have Meg, but no-one has been able to identify any toxins, a total mystery I'm afraid....

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Oh what a shame, there is some sort of fungas on Talkin Tarn and there were notices for the last few years, not to let your dog swim in the Tarn. you can see it just under the water.We dont go now as Madam has taken a dislike to it.

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

There was an outbreak of something similar round where I am-was put down to the blue/green algae. Not heard of anything this year though. Very sad that pets had died/been very poorly because of this.....

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

It seems an answer may have been found to this illness. I was reading yesterday that the cause may be bites from infestations of harvest mites. ..
Full story here.....

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Thanks Barry. It seems to make sense that an insect bite could be the problem and now it's colder they have disappeared for a while.

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Information cross posted from Dogsey.

There is to be an item about 'Seasonal Canine Illness' (SCI) on BBC’s Countryfile next Sunday 21st October

You can find further information about SCI here www.aht.org.uk/sci

Re: **Seasonal Canine Illness updated @post 9

Thank you for the information Meg. I usually watch Countryfile. I have not heard of anyone's dog being affected this year and they may have now found out what causes it.