Seasonal Canine Illness

My niece has two young labradors and walks them in woods near her home in Lincolnshire where two dogs have died from SCI. She's just been given the same advice, Tegan. We're not in an 'at risk' area here thank goodness.

I'm not sure I agree with harvest mites being the cause though. If they are then why are the cases of SCI centred around woodland and parks? Harvest mites exist in long grass and wildlife areas that are not heavily managed.

My money is still on a fungus.

I've never heard of seasonal canine illness - what is it?

some information here, Eloethan

The Animal Health Trust at Newmarket was apparently asked to research the cause of the illness by the Queen as several dogs have been affected on the Sandringham estate. Bites from Harvest mites seem to be the latest theory but no definite cause has been found yet.

thanks for the link merlot. Dogs are such scavengers, that perhaps fungus is a cause. The end of the wasp season has the little horrors dropping around us. I only recently learned that the treatment is a child's periton tablet given asap. When a friend's dog was stung twice when we were in woodland recently, fortunately one of the group had a packet of tablets with her - dog sorted.

Thanks merlot. Sounds very nasty.

My dog nearly died after being stung by a wasp and I always say I'll carry piriton with me wherever I go [and then forget to]. I just use an adult tablet 1 x twice a day [she's a medium sized dog]. Mustn't use any other sort of antihistamine, though.

I'll remember that Tegan, I have a dog who weighs in at 24 kg and a smaller one 16 kg so I imagine it's adult for the bigger dog, and child twice a day for the youngster