Vets warn about mystery seasonal illness that can be fatal to dogs
Pet owners should contact their vet immediately if they suspect their dog has the illness
Dog owners are being urged to look out for a serious illness that can affect dogs in the autumn.
Known as Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI), it is thought to be most common this time of the year – and symptoms can start within 24 to 72 hours of contracting the illness.
Although fairly rare, there is no proven cause for the illness – and no known cure. Symptoms can be treated by vets, which may require hospitalisation with the dog being put on fluid for several days.
However, in some cases, SCI can sadly prove to be fatal.
It is thought that harvest mites, also known as ‘chiggers’, may trigger SCI as they have been detected on dogs that have had the illness. However, this has not yet been proven.
Despite most advice to pet owners relating to forests, It is also thought these mites can inhabit fields and gardens with tall grasses and decaying vegetation. Miniscule arachnids, barely visible to the naked eye at around 0.5mm in length, harvest mites are typically red in colour.
Alder veterinary Practice, which has branches in Bourne and Spalding, offers advice on its website about the mystery illness. “SCI can affect all breeds of dogs, but smaller dogs seem more likely to become affected,” they explain. ”In many cases, autumn harvest mites are seen on the limbs and it is suspected that they may have an involvement in SCI, but it has not been proven yet. It is sensible, therefore, to use anti-mite sprays on your dog before visiting a forest. Ask your vet for advice as to which product is best for your pet.
They says that within a few days of exposure to the illness, dogs “start vomiting and becoming very depressed. Rapid dehydration, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and lethargy are common, and treatment requires hospitalisation and fluids for up to 10 days”.
They add: "The disease was first recognised in 2009 and since then, there have been many cases of the disease especially in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and the Midlands. It is recognised more easily by vets and there is increasing awareness amongst owners, so survival rates have improved as early intervention is more effective.
"Unfortunately, some dogs are so severely affected by the disease that they do not survive.”
The symptoms
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Tiredness
• Stomach pain
• Muscle tremors
• High temperature
It should be noted that SCI is a rare condition and these same symptoms are also common in a range of other conditions. For more advice, or if you are concerned about your pet, speak to your vet.