A WOMAN whose two pets have been left fighting for their lives after an afternoon in a forest has warned other dog owners.

A WOMAN whose two pets have been left fighting for their lives after an afternoon in a forest has warned other dog owners.

Tina Stockings, 49, was having a picnic in Rendlesham Forest, near Woodbridge, with her family and two pet dogs on Sunday afternoon.

But on Tuesday morning, Jay, her 7-year-old Jack Russell was violently sick and after returning from taking him to the vets, her 13-year-old dog Barney, who is also suffering from cancer, had fallen ill.

Both dogs spent the night at the vets seriously ill and battling for their lives.

On being taken to Smith Ryder-Davies & Partners veterinary surgery, Mrs Stockings, who lives in Henniker Road, was told by the vet that they had had five cases of sick dogs over the past few days.

And she is now keen to warn other dog owners about the potential danger of visiting the forest with their pets.

“I did think about having the older one put down because he was so poorly and it was just horrible to see him like that,” said Mrs Stockings. “I do not know whether it is poison or a virus that they have picked up. But obviously just one vet has had five cases of dogs that have been to Rendlesham Forest. How many other vets have had the same?

“I came out of the vets in floods of tears because I did not know whether I would see either dog again. To have one dog ill is bad but I have both. The house is not the same and I do not really know what I am doing at the moment. It is horrible not knowing what is going to happen to them.”

Heather Collinson, of Smith Ryder-Davies said they have seen a lot of vomiting dogs recently.

“As well as Mrs Stockings' two dogs we have seen one other who has been to Rendlesham Forest,” she said.

“But we have also seen three other dogs who have not been there displaying the same problems.

“I suspect it is a virus going around the general dog community at the moment, because dogs are constantly putting their noses to the ground and clean their feet it is very hard to prevent.”

She advised dog owners whose pets start showing symptoms, such as diroeahea and vomiting, to keep them away from public areas until they are better, to prevent the spread of the virus.