Concerns toxic sea slugs could be to blame after mysterious dog deaths on Thames coast

Nuggitt, an 11-year-old labrador, died shortly after swimming at Te Mata Bay, north of Thames. Photo / Supplied

Three dogs have died this month shortly after swimming or walking on Thames coast beaches, raising concerns toxic sea slugs are to blame.

Te Mata Bay residents Jannine and Ray Kelly said their dog Nuggitt died shortly after going for a swim at the beach.

"We are absolutely gutted," Jannine Kelly said.

The day after taking their 11-year-old labrador for a swim at the beach he was not eating, and was hot and restless.

"He was just sitting down on the cool tiles," Kelly said.

"We thought it was just because it was a hot day."

When Ray came home from fishing that evening and began filleting, he tried to give him bits of fish.

"He didn't even eat them, and he always eats them," Kelly said.

The next morning they could not find Nuggitt.

They searched all around their property, but to no avail.

Later that day a friend found Nuggitt dead under a flax bush on their property.

Nuggitt's death comes after a chihuahua died on January 12, soon after being walked on the beach at Ngarimu Bay. Two other dogs were earlier treated with similar symptoms.

The chihuahua's veterinarian, Thames Anexa FVC Vet Clinic's Cath Picard, said toxic sea slugs could be the cause of the deaths. They could cause dogs to become ill within 30 minutes of being touched or eaten.

"But nobody has seen any of the slugs yet, so we don't know for sure. It also could be due to algal toxins."

She said if a dog showed similar symptoms they should be taken to a vet, however if they had come into contact with the toxic sea slugs there was not much they could do.

"The deaths tend to happen very quickly."

Kelly spoke with the chihuahua's owner shortly after Nuggitt's death, and said the symptoms sounded very similar.

"We have no idea what happened, but after learning of what happened to the other dog, we thought it was too similar to be a coincidence.

"Nuggitt too had blood coming out of his mouth, and was very hot and restless."

Apart from a little arthritis, Nuggitt had been healthy.

"We are just gutted, especially the grandkids."

They knew of one other person whose dog had died recently in the area with very similar symptoms.

"We just want to let people know that something is killing our dogs."

In 2013 eggs laid by toxic sea slugs, and their sacs, were suspected to be the cause of seizures suffered by dogs walking on Auckland beaches.

Both the slugs and sacs contain tetrodotoxin, which has been found in high concentrations on beaches in Auckland and Coromandel and was blamed for the deaths of nine dogs in 2009.

A Ministry for Primary Industries spokesman told Fairfax sea slugs were a native species that had a naturally occurring toxin which could affect dogs. It was up to local councils to respond to the issue, he said.

A Thames Coromandel District Council spokesman said no dog deaths or illnesses had been reported to the council.