Unknown diseases affect dogs in Norway
The past week, more than 20 dogs in Norway have died or became seriously ill in yet unknown diseases. There are no confirmed cases of the illness outside Norway.
The affected dogs experienced symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea and turned severely ill or died within a short period of time. Several dogs are currently being treated at animal hospitals and clinics in the country. The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has performed autopsies of the first seven dogs but have not yet concluded the cause of deaths. Viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic causes are being evaluated. According to the Norwegian Food Authorities, there are currently no indication that food, rat poison, salmonella or campylobacter are causing these illnesses.
Similar symptoms
Sasja Rygg is veterinarian at in AniCura Norway. She was first to inform the general public and authorities about the disease.
- We noticed similar symptoms on an unusually large number of patients in the Oslo region and have thereafter experienced cases in other parts of the country as well. These dogs get severely ill very rapidly and we recommend pet owners in Norway who experience these symptoms to get in touch with their veterinarian, says Rygg.
Precautions in Norway
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority encourages all pet owners in Norway to limit close contact between dogs and to keep dogs on leash.
- There are still no confirmed cases of the same illness among dogs in our neighboring countries and we take a clear stand against speculations on this matter. However, we do recommend pet owners in Norway to take precautions and follow advice from the Norwegian Food Safety Authorities, says Rygg.
Advice to pet owners in Norway:
- Limit close encounter with other dogs.
- Do not let your dog say hello to other dogs.
- Do not let the dog sniff on places where other dogs have been.
- See a veterinarian fast if your dog has the symptoms listed above.
- Follow the veterinarian’s advice on vaccines.
- Big crowds as dog shows and animal training should be avoided, or carried out in a way that limits the encounters between the dogs.
- Call the veterinarian before you bring your dog to the clinic.
For further information, please contact
Maria Tullberg, Group Communications Manager AniCura, +46 736 268 886
About AniCura
AniCura is a family of well-known animal hospitals and clinics specialised in veterinary care for companion animals. Born out of the idea that sharing resources creates opportunities for better veterinary care, the company was established in 2011 as the first merger of companion animal hospitals in the Nordic region. Today, AniCura is a role model within specialised veterinary care and a valued partner for pet owners and referring veterinarians across Europe.
AniCura offers a wide range of high-quality medical services covering preventive and basic health care as well as advanced diagnostics, internal medicine, intensive care, surgery and orthopaedics. AniCura also provides rehabilitation, physiotherapy and dietary advice and offers selected pet food and care products.
AniCura provides modern, high-quality veterinary care for pets at 270 European locations and creates peace of mind for pet owners through excellent access and patient safety. Every year, AniCura’s 5,500 passionate veterinary professionals attend to more than 2.5 million companion animal patients. AniCura is a trusted training and referral body.
Since 2018, AniCura is part of Mars Petcare, a family-owned company focused on veterinary care and pet nutrition.
For information on how AniCura is working to shape the future of veterinary care, please visit our website www.anicuragroup.com
