Police dog dead, eight others sick with unusual illness
A police dog is dead and eight others are sick after coming down with an unusual illness.
The Labradors and German Shepherds have been diagnosed with megaesophagus, which affects the way they swallow.
Police are investigating whether the illness may be linked to their food.
"Once they've got it, they've got it. So we have to manage the symptoms of that dog," Victoria Police Dog Squad Inspector Jon Woodyatt said.
An extensive team of veterinarian experts is probing the cause of the illness, which broke out in December last year and has been deemed very rare.
The sick dogs are aged between two and eight.
The dogs will gradually be replaced with healthier canines.
