Mystery dog illness: expert advice from Haywards Heath vets director and surgeon Julia Mewes

Dr Julia Mewes, practice director and vet surgeon at The Mewes Vets in Haywards Road, said her practice is not seeing a high number of dogs with upset stomachs at the moment.

Common symptoms reported by owners across the UK include dogs being weak and listless, shaking and vomiting.

The British Veterinary Association said reports of ‘gastroenteritis-like symptoms’ had sparked speculation that the illness could be linked with visits to beaches.

One Burgess Hill family has shared their story about their three-year-old cockapoo becoming ill.

But Julia said: “We have not recognised this particular group of symptoms recently in our doggy patients.”

“We did see a spike in cases of pets very poorly with vomiting just in the weeks running up to Christmas, especially in the younger generation, but luckily that bout appears to have died down again,” she added.