A Vancouver dog owner is warning others after her pup contracted a serious infection at a popular city park last month.

Danielle Inglis said a scratch on her dog Penny's nose started to fill with pus and turn black after a visit to Trout Lake in late March.

"Within a few days, it started to get really scabby," Inglis told CTV News Wednesday. "(The vet) suspected it would be some super-bugs, based on what they were seeing."

Tests revealed that Penny had four different bacterial infections, including a type of staph infection called MRSP and E. coli.

"That's horrible," said Dr. Helene Childs of West End Veterinary Clinic. "It's also really extreme."

Dogs are often seen splashing around in the water at Trout Lake and the park has had E. coli outbreaks in the past, but Inglis doesn't think Penny got sick from swimming.

"She's not a swimmer with her body type, but she likes to walk in and kind of sniff," Inglis said, adding that the dog likely already had an open wound on her nose that was exposed to the bacteria while she was playing.

Penny is now on two types of antibiotics and still isn't feeling her best, nearly three weeks after she contracted the bacteria.

"She was vomiting last night," Inglis said. "She's mostly been sleeping and really sad."

So far, the treatments have amounted to about $1,150. Inglis said that number will likely reach $2,000 by the time Penny is finished her medication.

Now, Inglis is urging other dog owners to be aware of the dangers of dog parks.

"It's a danger that I just think people should know," she said.

Dog owners who spoke with CTV News on Wednesday say they're taking the advice seriously.

"It's a little bit worrisome," said Aja Mingay. "It's difficult because there's so few areas to take the dogs off-leash in Vancouver."

Childs, meanwhile, said cases like Penny's are rare and isn't discouraging people from taking their pets to Trout Lake or any other park.

"As a dog owner, I wouldn't be super concerned," she said. "If my dog was healthy, I'd be going out there."

She is, however, warning dog owners to protect themselves as pets can spread certain infections to humans.

"Bacteria do jump between different species," Childs said. "Watching for signs of skin disease, vomiting, diarrhea, little pustules and things like that can be really good."

With files from CTV Vancouver's Allison Hurst