Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 31 January (HL5420), and further to the research by Tim Deere-Jones reported in the Guardian article 'Study links crab deaths and dog illness to dredging for Teesside freeport', published on 7 February, what further assessment they plan to make of a potential link between the mass loss of sea-life around the North Yorkshire coast and reports of the ill-health of dogs which have walked in the sea and on the seashore.

Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been in touch with the University of Liverpool Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) which has been investigating the increase in reports of vomiting and diarrhoea (V&D) in dogs in the Northeast of England. Investigations continue, but so far SAVSNET has reported a seasonal increase across England in V&D commonly seen each year in dogs, with an exceptional peak in NE Yorkshire. There is some positive association with canine enteric coronavirus and no link to walking on the beach for the majority of cases. While it cannot definitively point to a common cause, SAVSNET does suggest this is a transmissible infection rather than contact with the beach area or sea water. Canine enteric coronavirus is an alpha-coronavirus and is not related to beta-coronavirus which causes COVID-19.

The dogs recover after a few days, although some may require supportive care from their vet.

SAVSNET stated on 3 February: “Between 29^th and 31^st January 2022 we had details of 208 cases submitted by vets and owners. The most common clinical signs reported were inappetence, and vomiting and diarrhoea both without blood. The majority (79%) of dogs had NOT visited the beach prior to becoming ill and many cases were reported inland (away from the coast). The vast majority of cases (94%) had been vaccinated in the last three years. The majority (56) of the 88 owners who had more than one dog reported that other dogs in the household had also shown similar signs possibly suggesting in infectious cause. The majority of dogs seem to recover within 7-14 days, although over 60% required treatment of some form. No underlying cause was reported and so the aetiology of this outbreak is still unknown.”

SAVSNET is continuing with its investigation and we continue to keep this under consideration.