The owners of their dog were devastated to discover that the beloved pet became “lethargic” and was “foaming at mouth” after a walk. This is in addition to a number of other dogs who have fallen ill recently with mysterious viruses.
Julie Cox, from Consett, County Durham, took her four-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel for an evening walk around Hownsgill Industrial estate on January 9 and noticed his behaviour seemed ‘strange’.
Shortly after coming back, Duke became extremely poorly with diarrhea and vomiting and also went off his food.
After going to the vets for tests, he was sent home with medication – but he quickly took a turn for the worst and suffered a heart attack overnight and tragically died.
While there are no details about what caused Duke’s passing, they do know that it is possible. Many dogs have reported similar symptoms. If you notice any of the symptoms in your dog, it is a good idea to call your veterinary clinic immediately.
There have been cases of sick dogs reported along the UK coasts. These include Langstone Harbour, Hayling Island, Langstone Harbour, Langstone Harbour, Bridlington, Redcar Beach, Fraisthorpe Beach, East Riding and Bridlington.
Duke’s owners were devastated to discover that their dog became lethargic and started foaming after a walk. There have been a lot of cases lately where dogs are suffering from mysterious illnesses.
Julie Cox from Consett in County Durham took her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel four year old for an evening walk through Hownsgill Industrial Park on January 9. She noticed that his behavior was’strange.
Julie shared her thoughts about her Duke’s symptoms.
“I brought him outside and he was suffering from diarrhea. After an hour, he got me back into bed and kept me awake until dawn. He refused to eat his breakfast, which is unusual for Duke who loves his food.
Duke, a loving and affectionate pup was beloved by Alan Marshall. He was also a frequent visitor to Consett’s Duke of Wellington pub.
After describing Duke’s symptoms to her vet, she was advised by the doctor to take him immediately.
He was able to walk for about 10 minutes, but he started vomiting when he got back. Rebecca, my daughter who is studying to become a paramedic said, “Mam, this isn’t normal. It’s wrong.” The man was foaming in his mouth, and he vomited approximately four times in the space of ten minutes.
“I called my vets to tell them that he should be brought up immediately. While we took him to see the vets, he started feeling really tired.
Duke (pictured) was described as a loving, affectionate pup and was an avid visitor to Consett’s Duke of Wellington bar. His owner Alan Marshall (pictured) also runs it.
Following tests they found that Duke’s organs were healthy. The veterinarians gave Duke medicine and advised Julie and Alan that Duke would be back in 24 hours. They discovered that he had been bleeding from the back when they brought him home.
Consett’s Westway Vets advised that they go to Newcastle to receive treatment over the night. Duke was suffering from a severe heart attack as soon as they arrived at West Road.
The vets attempted to rescue him but, despite their efforts, he crashed yet again. They were forced to tell Alan and Julie the sad news.
To warn other people about this mysterious virus, the pair shared their stories.
Alan explained that they told them the virus was spreading and don’t know how it can be treated. The vets attempted to do everything they could, but they couldn’t help their pet.
Duke, (pictured), was taken to the veterinarians to be tested. He was then sent home with medications. But Duke quickly became ill and died from a heart attack the next day.
“We don’t want anyone else to experience this. You’d have to be cautious when taking them on walks. Dogs are dogs. But, it’s a good idea to clean their feet whenever you return home.
Julie stated that Duke was “perfect.” We made sure he was healthy. He was happy, always wagged his tail, and he smiled all the way. People loved him. He was my best friend.
“If only we could get the word out that this virus exists and warn people to stay vigilant until they find out what it is, then it would be a great help.
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton said last week the illness was likely to be a virus, which results in ‘gastroenteritis-like symptoms’, including diarrhea and vomiting.
Although they acknowledged that there have been reports of bugs being reported, the experts said it was not clear if any evidence is available to link walks on beaches with the problem.
Even though many cases seem milder than others, severe illness can occur. Duke was one of those. If any symptoms are apparent, it is a good idea to notify your vet immediately.