# Beware the 'Sandringham Bug'



## wackywyco

A relation has just had to cut short her three week stay on the Sandringham C&CC site due to her two dogs being taken ill. One spent four days in the local Vets. (£800 bill !!). According to the vet, both his and the other local practice every couple of years they treat a considerable number of dogs from the site with the mistery illness and have christened it "The Sandringham Bug". It seems that this year is 'one of those years', particularly at the moment.


----------



## Briarose

Hi thanks for that, is it just Sandringham or other sites in that area too...........I ask as we were thinkiing of headng to North Norfolk at some point in the next few weeks.


----------



## wackywyco

*sandringham bug*

I believe it is just the Sandringham site hence the name, not even sure if it includes the Caravan Club site next door. I will try and find out more info from our relation.


----------



## patp

We live in Norfolk and it has been very very dry. Might it be blue green algae do you think? I know in previous long dry spells we have had warnings about it.


----------



## Frantone

*Sandringham Bug*

Just returned from the C&CC site with our aged lab who shows no signs of it. BUT the guy next to us had three labs and this morning as we were leaving he came over to chat and said all three of his dogs seemed to be sick!
Incidentally I have never seen so many dogs on a site. I know it was the weekend of the Sandringham Game Fair but there were very few pitches without a dog. What was strikingly obvious was that most of them were very well behaved. However there was continual disturbance from those pitches where people had a 'pack'.
One in particular was a single guy with four small yappy things that went berserk whenever anybody or anything went near. As he was pitched right by the road and close to a dog walk entrance the noise was awful and almost never ending. 
Another was a pack of five yappers which had their own run built alongside the motorhome and similarly became noisy at the slightest proximity. These were 'exercised' by being taken out in a buggy pushed by the owner!
In contrast there were many groups of three in complete harmony and control, Labs, Red Setters, Springers etc. I wouldn't be surprised if limits on numbers of dogs per pitch appeared in the future.


----------



## Briarose

Hi is there any more news on this ? we are considering North Norfolk soon but have decided against Sandringham now as don't think it is worth the risk with the pooches..............just hoping that other sites aren't affected.


----------



## patp

Hi Briarose

We live near Attleborough in Norfolk and have not heard of any problems.

Gypsy is booked into the Fakenham vets for an arthroscopy on Monday morning. If I remember I will ask them. They are probably the vets concerned in the Sandringham area.

If you would like to ring them yourself (I might be just ever so slightly stressed at having to leave Gypsy for her op :roll: ) - it is The Grove Veterinary Group on 01328 862137, email [email protected].

It has been very very dry here in the Breckland area of Norfolk. Not sunny or particularly warm just dry and windy. Hope it holds out for your visit :lol:


----------



## Briarose

Hi thanks, I was thinking of Kellingheath ! hope Gypsy gets on OK.


----------



## Rainbow-Chasers

Interesting post - may be wider than you think!

We just returned from a week away, and whilst walking the dog we were asked if Lorcan was ok. It seems that dogs around here (st austell) have been hit with a mystery sickness bug, lasts a few days and they are fine!

Weird!


----------



## Briarose

We were at Kellingheath last week Mon to Fri and fingers toes and legs crossed all seems fine.


----------



## patp

That is great to hear Briarose. Looks like it might be confined to Sandringham which is worrying isn't it? Kelling Heath is lovely too though.

The weather here in Norfolk has been outstanding all summer. Even allowing for the fact that it is a dry area of the country this year is exceptional. All the leaves are starting to turn. No hosepipe ban though!


----------



## charlyrich

This is happening again at Sandringham... There were a number of dogs on site who have fallen ill this September including over own Springer who has been at the vets on a drip for almost a week ... please join and share the following facebook group to raise awareness and campaign to get something done... The caravan Club are aware yet still did not warn us!!!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156108987747319&ref=mf


----------



## zack

Have just got back from the Caravan Club site at Sandringham. There does seam to be a problem .we were quickly warned by our neighbours about the illness,their dog had been at the vets for 4 days and they were packing up and going home. They believed that the dogs were picking up spores on their feet and then licking them causing the illness. When I went into the site office I was informed that there was an illness affecting dogs and that I shouldnt let them off in the woods/ Met two more couples this morning whose dogs ha also been affected. Decided it was best to leave and hopefully my dogs have not been affected.
Chris


----------



## charlyrich

Thanks Chris

The site were not informing people until I called head office on the way home to rush our dog to our local vets for a drip on Friday. Its sad that they ignored our queries and failed to acknowledge a problem until we went to the Regional Manager.

Please join the Facebook group : http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156108987747319

and raise awareness, there are some interesting links on there regarding Sherwood Forest having the same problem (and dogs dying).

The BBC are running a story this week and are concerned that the forestry commission do not seem to be doing enough to sort this out!

I hope your dog(s) remains unaffected


----------



## Walmer

What are the symptoms of this bug? I have heard that there is a serious vomiting/diarrhoea bug in County Down, Northern Ireland.


----------



## dhutchy

We were at the c&cc at Sandringham last weekend and we had no warning or heard of anything.Our two seem fine at the moment fingers crossed.


----------



## StAubyns

Not only Sandringham 8O

We have just come in from a walk in Clumber Park.

These notices are being handed to dog owners and have been posted up in the park 

So whats going on??


----------



## BMR

Hi,
As the site is aware of the bug it is their duty to inform all dog owners about it. Should one of our border collie pups have taken ill I would be talking to a solicitor now.
Thanks Brian.


----------



## spykal

Hi

I don't run dogs now and have not had one for quite a while but when I did I was well aware of an age old problem as I believe it may not be a "bug", but it may be poisoning. The poisoning results from the dog grazing poisonous fungi while being allowed to run free through woodland at this time of the year... so keep them on a short lead and watch what they are doing.

I am not sure about sharing this tip as the thought of doing it to a pet may upset some of you but I am going to as it may save a dog. Many experienced dog handlers carry some washing soda crystals with them when out walking or working their dogs in woodland or some other spot where poisons may be around such as farm yards, barns ect where rat poison or slug pellets may be ( or death cap mushrooms) ...if they suspect that the dog has ingested anything poisonous then a washing soda crystal poked down to the back of its tongue while holding their snout closed will rapidly promote vomiting and help save the dog.

Mike


P.S. I have had one dog poisoned and saved by the vet ..it was my own fault, we had cut down a Yew tree and the daft puppy Labrador played around chewing some of the fresh cut branches ...yes you guessed the sap from Yew trees is poisonous to dogs..


----------



## wackywyco

As an update to my original post , Sandringham CC site have at last acknowledged the problem today and posted notices around the area (sadly too late for several dog owners) warning owners. This was featured on Local Television news today.


----------



## GerryD

Was featured on the BBC East news this evening.
Seems to affect those dogs whose owners have let them off the lead to roam without supervision.
Gerry


----------



## Briarose

Hi Peter Levy on the BBC programme Look North, has just been reporting on this very topic.

You can watch tonights programme on http://www.bbc.co.uk/looknorthhull/content/articles/2006/12/30/peter_levy_feature.shtml

I am def staying away from these sites until the route of the illness is traced.


----------



## Briarose

Discussion also on Facebook, it looks as if more people will be aware of it now. 
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156108987747319&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=156108987747319&v=wall&ref=mf


----------



## goldi

Evening all,


I think it might bebest to keep out of all woodland areas with dogs for the time being,





norm


----------



## rickndog

Forestry Commission now asking experts for advice.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-11419463


----------



## gizmo26

Recently returned from the CC site at Sandringham where there were a number of prominent notices about dogs contracting Lyme Disease. This appears to be prevelent in the area with dogs suffering from vomiting and diarhoea.

Apparently, transmitted by ticks picked up in the woodland walks.


----------



## spykal

Hi

It is still very much a mystery but if it is Lyme Disease then the affected dogs symptoms do not seem to match with the recorded symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs.

If it is Lyme disease then I am no expert but would not have expected it to erupt at the same time each year as this seems to have done because as far as I know if the local deer are carrying Lyme disease ticks then the danger is there all the time. 

Also if it is Lyme Disease then it is also a very dangerous disease for humans to catch, it is difficult to diagnose and hard to treat. Surely with all these dogs being affected one of the owners would have contracted it too.

Mike

P.S. I have been thinking about this for a few days and one thought that popped into my head is that there have been cases of dogs poisoned by blue green algae when after swimming in pools with the algae, they have then licked and cleaned themselves and ingested the algae. So what about if these dogs affected in the forest have trodden on soft and decaying poisonous fungi such as death caps and then on returning from the walk have licked and cleaned their feet, as dogs do? I wonder could this ingest enough of the poison to affect them?


----------

