A team from the Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield, Hertfordshire who examined the dog said as far as they knew, this was the first case of a dog in the UK catching the disease without travelling to an area where it is common.
They said the Shih Tzu was deficient in blood cells, showed signs of liver disease and had too much calcium in his blood, which can weaken bones, create kidney stones and interfere with brain and heart function.Earlier this year an English Pointer who never left Essex developed leishmaniasis, with vets believing his owners could have brought sand flies back from spain in their luggage.
The three-year-old dog, who broke out with an eczema-like reaction and hair loss, was treated by staff at Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire. Writing for Vet Record, the team warned the public ‘should not be complacent’ about the infection spreading across the UK despite its lack of sand flies.
They said: ‘The increased importation of infected dogs into the UK also makes incidental socialising with infected dogs increasingly likely.’According to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Ibizan Hounds, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Cocker Spaniels and Boxers may be at less risk of developing the disease.
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Source: The Mirror - 🏆 136. / 51 Read more »