Bentleigh family mourns the loss of beloved dog after catching a canine gastro bug doing the rounds in Melbourne’s east
A much-loved family dog has died after having a bad reaction to a nasty stomach bug doing the rounds in Melbourne’s east. The pooch had been happy and healthy days earlier, and his devastated owners are warning others to be on alert.
Inner East
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A beloved pet dog has died after having a bad reaction to a nasty gastro virus doing the rounds in Melbourne’s east.
Sandra Tomic, of Bentleigh, said her family’s six-year-old maltese shih tzu Rocky was happy and healthy until last week, when he suddenly went off his food before experiencing extreme bouts of vomiting and bloody diarrhoea.
He died a day after he was rushed to the vet on November 14, the same day he first showed symptoms.
Damian McShane, of the East Bentleigh Veterinary Clinic, said the cause of death was a bad reaction to a nasty canine gastro bug, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
The gastro led to disseminated intravascular coagulation, which was a rare condition that caused excessive bleeding and problems forming blood clots.
Mr McShane said it was often fatal and could be caused by gastro as well as other conditions including heartworm, heatstroke, liver disease and cancer.
Gastro in dogs can be contracted through shared water bowls at parks or through contact with another animal’s faeces.
“When it does occur though it is a very poor prognosis and most cases will sadly not survive treatment, no matter how aggressive the treatment is,” he said.
Ms Tomic called for greater community awareness about canine gastro.
Rocky’s death follows the similar story of Luna, an 18-month-old bulldog belonging to Surrey Hills woman Erin Watene, who fell seriously ill with a canine gastro following a walk in Surrey Gardens late last month.
He also had bloody diarrhoea and Ms Watene said her vet at Hawthorn East Vet clinic told her he’d seen 40 dogs with similar symptoms in the space of just two days in October.
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Hawthorn East vet Dr Mark Matthews previously told the Progress Leader the recent spike in gastro cases may have been caused by the change of seasons.
He warned pet owners to be mindful of the symptoms, which included loss of appetite and diarrhoea, and he said people should wash their hands after handling their dogs and to take their dog to the vet if they noticed them showing signs of illness.