A variety of dogs have been struck down by a thriller sickness after walks, leaving their house owners baffled as to what might have induced it.
There have been stories throughout Maidstone of pets falling sick after walking in sure areas.
Connor Carey, from Detling, took his two Labradors, Murphy and Bramble, for a walk in Mote Park with two different pets within the household on Monday, October 30.
But upon returning home two-year-old Murphy started appearing unusually.
Connor, 27, mentioned: “We went for a walk with four dogs.
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“Those four dogs played in the same area they normally do in Mote Park, near the Willington Street entrance with the small bridge.
“The dogs tend to paddle in there. It was all fine and normal.
“We came home and then we noticed one of our dogs was sleepy in the afternoon and we thought it was really weird.
“We didn’t think much more of it, just that we must’ve worn him out on the walk. He’s been fine since.
“But we have another dog and the following morning she went out for a toilet then came in and started acting strange – very skitty, jaw locking and then went into a seizure.”
Connor contacted the opposite members of the family who he’d been on the walk with and discovered Badger, a border collie, was additionally very sick.
The tree surgeon continued: “A collie normally goes at 100% all the time but hadn’t been to the toilet and hadn’t eaten and was just acting ill.
“He was dizzy and he had the shakes and fell down the stairs and was all off kilter
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“He’s now on the mends having just started eating again but he still has a bit of a way to go to 100%.”
Connor mentioned the three dogs that had proven “signs of something untoward” had all performed within the water, submerging their faces, whereas the fourth solely dipped its toes in for paddle.
Though all of the dogs at the moment are recovered or on the mend, the reason for the sickness is unknown.
Connor mentioned: “Vets are slightly perplexed because if it was something like blue-green algae it tends to linger, and their lethargy usually hangs around.”
There have been stories on social media of dogs additionally falling significantly sick after walks round Tovil and Langley.
Maidstone council has been speaking to house owners within the hope of discovering a trigger however thus far none has been discovered, nor any tangible connection linking every case collectively.
A council spokesperson mentioned: “The council continues to monitor the situation and advises dog walkers to stay vigilant, keep their dogs close, and if they are worried about their dog’s health, to take them to the vets for investigation into the cause.
“Pathogens such as viruses and bacteria can spread through the excrement of dogs, so it is important to make sure you are picking up after your dog to help prevent the spread of diseases.”
