DOG walkers are being warned to keep a close eye on their pets due to a mysterious illness which is thought to have killed more than a dozen dogs, including two from Pershore.

Vets and government agencies are investigating the deaths, which were caused by acute kidney failure, and are linking incidents across the country.

Steve Smith, of Wadborough, is the chairman of the Worcestershire Gun Dog Society and lost two of his working dogs last November.

The springer spaniels developed the condition – now thought to be something similar to a bacterial infection known as Alabama skin rot – hours after going on a shoot on the border between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

He said: “We thought it had disappeared but it hasn’t. It’s still about. At the time I had 14 working gun dogs. It just so happened that this day it was two of my best trial dogs, Jess and Polly, and one beating dog, Judy.”

Following the shoot Mr Smith put the two trail dogs in the kennels, giving them a warm feed and leaving them under the light. He took the house dog Judy inside, where she was bathed.

Mr Smith believes the bathing is what saved Judy’s life.

“She has recovered 100 per cent,” he said. “The biggest thing I have said and the vet backs up is bathing seems to be the best form of prevention.

The two that were in the kennel groomed themselves and we think it was ingested. We are fairly certain it’s a condition called Alabama skin rot.”

Tom Carr, vet at Martin and Carr in Pershore, who treated the dogs, said they could not be certain what caused the fatal renal failure, but the condition was similar to Alabama skin rot.

Mr Smith said: “We were pretty upset because they were lovely dogs. We couldn’t identify the organism because it won’t still be there. I think it is very rare but it’s devastating if it happens to you.”