A worrying dog virus is 'spreading like wildfire' over more Yorkshire districts, pet owners are being warned

Dog owners all throughout Yorkshire are warning others that their canines are contracting a disease that they believe is spreading from the Yorkshire Coast.

Hundreds of dogs fell ill across Yorkshire last week, causing Yorkshire to become increasingly concerned about its beloved pets, and cases appear to be escalating this week.

After 150 dogs became ill after spending time on the beaches in North Yorkshire, the virus was considered to have originated there.

Following Facebook posts from veterinary services in the area expressing worries about recent incidents, pet owners were advised to avoid beaches such as Scarborough and Saltburn.

From inland, reports of dogs becoming ill with symptoms identical to those seen on the Yorkshire Coast have begun to emerge.

"Just be wary”

Pet owners in York, Hebden Bridge and Sheffield have expressed fears that their dogs have contracted the ailment, claiming that their veterinarians have confirmed this.

"The doggy sickness bug is spreading like wildfire here," one individual wrote on a Hebden Bridge Facebook page. On Thursday, my dog came down it, and I had simply taken her to school and back!

"Every other dog he's seen had this bug," the vet stated.

Her dog was "well" today, she said, but her mother's dog was suffering from the same ailment.

"Just be wary," she advised, "since they don't know what's causing it or how it's spreading."

Another Sheffielder commented that there was a "nasty bug circulating that will knock your dog off its feet."

They went on to say that the virus is "spreading like wildfire and is in most regions," and that it had made her dog vomit and have diarrhoea, which were symptoms that were identical to those reported from the shore.

Other dogs falling ill

After her six-month-old cockapoo Loki fell unwell last week, Emily Storey of York cautioned people about the condition, which she claimed was "taking longer than typical to recover from."

She said that she had taken him for walks around Copmanthorpe and learned that other dogs in the neighbourhood had contracted the same disease.

He was also vomiting and had diarrhoea, according to her, and he wasn't eating properly. She further said that when she took him to the veterinarian, he was told that his condition "seems to be worse than normal."

However, one of the doctors at the Minster Veterinary Practice dismissed the possibility of a new ailment afflicting dogs, stating that she did not believe there was a new illness in York.

"We regularly receive waves of ill dogs with vomiting and diarrhoea around this time of year, just as we do cases of kennel cough in the summer," she added. I did explain to a Willow Grove customer that I had noticed a few episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea, but this is a common occurrence at this time of year.”

Be vigilant

If you are out walking your dog please remain alert for dangers, as you normally would, watch what they are picking up and eating etc.