The Animal Health Trust (AHT) had just sent out a reminder for us to be careful as we have just entered the seasonal canine illness (SCI) – generally between August and November.
SCI can affect dogs of any shape or size and it causes dogs to become very ill, very quickly after being walked in woodland.
The disease comes on usually within 24-72 hours of having walked in a woodland area. The most common clinical signs reported are:
– Vomiting
– Diarrhoea (which can vary from watery to bloody)
– Tummy (abdominal) pain
– Lethargy (or reluctance to move)
– Loss of appetite
– Shaking or trembling
– High temperature (fever)
May’s comment: AHT has been investigating seasonal canine illness (SCI) since September 2010 and the cause is still unknown and there are no preventive measures. If you suspect your dog is showing symptoms of SCI, contact your vet immediately.
Due to on-going investigations, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of fatal cases. This is due to increased awareness of the condition and that dog owners now know to contact a vet for advice if they spot any of the clinical signs. If dogs get veterinary treatment quickly for SCI signs, they tend to recover within seven-10 days. In 2010, 20% of cases resulted in death. In 2012, less than two per cent of cases reported resulted in death.
See video on SCI – You Tube – SCI
