Hundreds of dogs have contracted a mysterious illness after wandering the beaches of the Yorkshire coast in England.
As reported by The Guardian newspaper, veterinary authorities in that region issued a warning to dog owners to avoid the beach after noticing a “high increase” in dogs entering veterinary practices with severe vomiting and diarrhea.
You may be interested in: They capture on video a solar flare that could generate a magnetic storm on Earth
Ashley Brown-Bolton, a beagle owner, told the newspaper that she took him to the vet on Tuesday after becoming increasingly concerned about him.
about two weeks ago, Brogan Proud, local veterinarian, began treating dogs that had been walked on beaches such as Scarborough, Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby and Marske-by-the-sea. Concerned, she issued an alert on Facebook, which attracted more than 1,000 responses, with multiple dog owners sharing similar stories.
The post “blew up,” leading Proud to fear that “thousands” could have been affected by the mysterious disease. Many responses came from those who had visited the coast in early January and now returned home.
“Their dogs then carry that virus or that bacteria or that problem. And, as far as I can see, it’s no longer holding onto the coast, and it’s spreading.”said the expert.
Although theories abound on social media, Proud said no veterinarian, agency or authority had been able to establish a common cause or theme in the behavior, such as eating or chewing anything washed up on the beach or swimming in the sea. Whatever the cause, according to Proud, “If something is going to spread, the dogs will spread it.”
He added: “If it’s a virus or bacteria, it will be spread in urine or faeces or in shedding their fur. And we all know how dogs like to meet and greet: nose-to-nose, butt-touching, and all sorts of other things.
You may be interested in: Elon Musk offers $5,000 to a student to close his Twitter account. Why?
“My advice would be, if you’ve been to the beach, wash your dog in case you’re wearing anything, and be vigilant about your dog’s behavior,” she concluded.
