Owners warned after Kinsale dog deaths

AT least three dogs have died after taking a walk near James Fort in Kinsale, and their illness remains a mystery.

One Belgooly dog owner spoke this week of her relief that her dog is slowly recovering after getting violently ill in the area, last week.

Numerous dog owners from the Kinsale area last week reported that their dogs were vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea following walks at James Fort. It is understood that at least three dogs have died, while others are now recovering.

Anne Renshaw told The Southern Star that no one knows what caused her 20-month-old Labrador, Aspen to get violently sick.

‘I took Aspen walking there last Monday and by Wednesday he was vomiting up his breakfast. I wasn’t too worried, but when he later started vomiting up white foam tinged with pink, I contacted Riverview Vets,’ said Anne.

‘They had already three similar cases reported to them by then, so they started to get worried when I said we were also in the James Fort area. Aspen was given an anti-vomiting injection and I took him home. But when I got up the following morning, there was blood all over the floor.’

Anne re-admitted him the next day and he was put on a drip while the cause of his illness remained a mystery.

‘He didn’t have a temperature and the blood tests showed nothing either. I was advised to come in and see him over the weekend as they didn’t think he would make it. He was seriously ill, on two different drips, and three different antibiotics.’

His condition improved and he came home on Monday, but he is still weak, said Anne.

‘I put up a post on Facebook to warn other dog owners and was inundated with replies from people who had experienced the same thing, while some sadly lost their dogs.’

Anne said she won’t be walking her beloved Aspen near that area again.

The OPW said it had no knowledge of any issue involving unwell dogs at the site at James Fort.