04 April 2024 , 14:28
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Dog owners and walkers have been warned of a “flesh-eating” disease spreading across the UK.
A number of cases of Alabama Rot - a condition which can be deadly to pets - have been reported this year in Wales, Scotland and parts of England. Also known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV), it is especially prevalent in spring, as ground tends to damp because of increased rainfall.
One case of the disease has even been reported near Poundbury in Dorset - a posh housing complex built under the guidance of King Charles when he was Prince of Wales. A local veterinary practice identified their first ever recorded case in a small dog, which sadly passed away. One member of staff from Castle Vets revealed they had since treated another dog with the condition.
They told the Sun: "We have had two cases in the last few weeks. It’s really horrible to have our first case." They are now asking dog owners to wash their dog's legs when they return from walks, in case they bring traces the disease back with them. Alabama Rot cannot infect humans and can't be carried by them.
Alabama rot damages a dog's blood vessels and kidneys, and can even cause the animal's skin to rot as the disease feasts on the flesh. Key signs of Alabama dog rot to look out for are skin sores that have not been caused by a physical injury, which can appear as lesions, patches of red skin, swelling, or be open and ulcer-like. They are usually found below the knee or elbow, and occasionally on the stomach or face.
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Skin sores will typically cause localised hair loss and see dogs licking their wounds. Between 2-7 days after lesions, outward symptoms of kidney failure will show, including reduced appetite and fatigue. Dogs also develop signs of severe depression, loss of appetite and vomiting. Though it remains rare, with 11 cases reported in 2022, numbers have been on the rise since the 1980s. The name ‘Alabama’ came from the first identified cases amongst greyhounds in the US state of Alabama.