Thetford Forest have warned visitors to be aware when walking their dogs in the forest after the first potential case of Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI).
In a Facebook post the team at Thetford Forest warned people who had walked their dogs in woodland to remain vigilant and if their dog shows any symptoms of SCI to connect their vet immediately.
Affected animals suffer sickness, diarrhoea and lethargy within 72 hours of walking in woodland, with some dying from the condition.
While the cause is not known for certain, it is believed harvest mites may carry the infection, which occurs between August and November.
The disease was first reported in the autumn of 2009, when dogs walked in woodland at the Royal Estate at Sandringham and Thetford Forest began showing symptoms.
The Forestry Commission, which runs Thetford Forest, uses information from the Animal Health Trust (AHT) to give visitors to their woodland advice about SCI.
The charity states that dogs should be walked on leads in woodland at this time of year so that owners can keep a close eye on them, and they also suggest that spray treatments for mites may be helpful.
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