Puppy death may have been linked to shellfish poisoning, Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority says

The death of a 12-week-old puppy after a walk at Old Hunstanton over the weekend may have been linked to poisoning by shellfish.

Lynn resident Erin McGonigle had to have her Labrador-Rottweiler cross breed put to sleep by vets after he became ill.

Erin said: "I’ve sadly had to put my puppy to sleep due to contracting toxic poisoning which started to shut his organs down. He was only 12-weeks-old and it was believed he had contracted it from Old Hunstanton beach on Saturday morning."

She thought it may have been linked to Seasonal Canine Illness that has claimed the lives of dogs at Sandringham but vets who treated the pet in Lynn have ruled that out.

However, the Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority says it may have been linked to toxic marine organisms.

The EIFCA is monitoring the management of commerical fisheries after dog deaths were caused by paralytic shellfish toxins.

Over a two-week period in early 2018, nine cases of illnesses in dogs were reported in the east of England after winter storms washed up organisms.

This included two fatalities, one at Holkham and one in Suffolk.

The toxins in question are typically associated with bivalve molluscs such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.

But the source of the contamination is still unknown and requires continued investigation.

The project was established in partnership with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science as a consequence of the dog illnesses and deaths.

It involves laboratory testing of commercial shellfish samples to detect the presence and concentrations of paralytic shellfish toxins, which will be used to inform the monitoring regime and management of commercial fisheries.