Dog becomes 'violently' sick after swimming in River Avon

Katie Reed was walking her two-year-old Boston Terrier Hugo along the River Avon on Tuesday evening, June 20.

She let him paddle in the shallow river water along the boardwalk since he's not a very confident swimmer.

However, a fellow dog walker warned her that the river's cleanliness has declined and explained how she no longer swims in it due to its condition.

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On Wednesday morning, Katie went downstairs into her living room to a scene she could only describe as "faecal armageddon".

In the hours following this, Hugo was lethargic and "violently vomiting" until Katie took him to Pet Practice Vets in Churchfields for two anti-sickness jabs costing £107.

Katie Reed with Hugo. (Image: Katie Reed)

Initially, she wondered if he may have caught the bug going around Salisbury 'Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis' but believes his symptoms were slightly different.

Hugo has made a full recovery but Katie is hesitant about letting him back into the river while sewage is released through storm drain overflows by Wessex Water.

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Katie would like more transparency and information about when and where storm drain overflows are opened into Salisbury rivers.

She added: "I won't go back to that bit. It makes you think of keeping them home in a paddling pool.

"We should be enjoying our rivers, not worrying about going in them."

Wessex Water has been contacted for comment.