A Leeds woman has called for a "doggy lockdown" in light of growing numbers of dogs falling ill with sickness thought to be travelling inland from the Yorkshire coast.
Nicola Walker, from Leeds, spoke to ITV about the possible solution after her dog Bullet became seriously ill last week.
Bullet is one of many dogs that have become ill recently, with owners saying their beloved pets are experiencing symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and passing blood after going for walks.
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Vets have played down the concerns, saying that the illness is a normal winter bug, but Nicola said: "I keep saying we need a little doggy lockdown. It's popular dog walking areas that are becoming troublesome."
Nicola told ITV that her dog became ill about three days after going for a walk; becoming suddenly lethargic, foaming at the mouth and vomiting.
"I picked him up and he was limp and I really thought I was losing him," Nicola said.
"The vet said he had become dehydrated and couldn't fight anything off so he developed an infection. If we hadn't gone to the vet then he wouldn't have survived.
"So many people have told me the same has happened to their dog - I found out today that one Bassett hound locally has just died.
"My advice is to avoid all dog walking spots and to act quickly before dehydration sets in."
One veterinary nurse named Laura Rose told ITV that she believes the wider reach of the virus is a consequence of lockdown with more people having bought dogs.
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She said: "Most dogs will be fine, but if they stop eating and drinking that's when you should act - because once dogs refuse to eat and drink it's harder to get them better and more likely to result in a hospital stay."
The British Veterinary Association says that most cases of the illness are mild but advised dog owners to check with their vet if their dog is off food.
It was thought that the mystery illness, which was first reported to be spreading on the Yorkshire Coast, could be spreading through pollution but the Environment Agency says there is no evidence that this is the case.
The illness is also being linked to the mass of dead sea life that has been washed up on Yorkshire's shores, which again there is not yet an explanation for.
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