Cases of the deadly dog illness Alabama rot seem to be edging closer to Edinburgh, as a map charting confirmed cases - created by Vets4Pets - shows that the disease has been detected in Cumbernauld to the west and Hawick to the south.
This is bad news for dogowners, as Alabama rot is incredibly hard to treat - only 20 to 30% of cases are treatable, and most dogs who contract it have to be put to sleep.
The virulent and unpleasant condition was first detected in the 1980s, when a group of greyhounds came down with it in Alabama, USA (hence the name). The mysterious disease causes damage to a dog’s blood vessels and kidneys, and can cause a its skin to rot, adding to its horrific nature.
The scientific name for Alabama rot is cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV). It first appeared in the UK in 2012 in southern England, but since then it has spread around the country, edging further north all the time.
One of the strangest things about Alabama rot is that no one is sure what causes it.
Some vets think it could be caused by a parasite, others think it's bacterial. There are also theories that it is caused by toxins produced by E.coli, or even that it is a form of leprosy. Dogs who have it lose patches of fur and develop lesions.
Because the exact cause has not been found, developing a vaccine is not possible.
These are the symptoms of Alabama rot according to the Kennel Club:
- Marks, sores or ulcers on the skin
- Skin ulcers usually appear on the legs or paws, but could appear anywhere on the body, including the head, tummy, around the mouth and nose, or on the tongue. These marks may appear as an area of redness or could look like a cut, bruise, sting or open sore. These signs could be caused by a large number of different things, but in a small number of cases this could be the first signs of Alabama rot. Always speak to your vet if your dog unexpectedly develops any of these signs.
- Kidney failure
- Being off their food.
- A change in drinking.
- Being sick.
- Not weeing as much.
- Being tired.
- Signs of kidney failure usually appears around three days after the marks on the skin, but can appear more quickly, or may sometimes take up to ten days.
If you’re concerned that your dog might have Alabama rot it’s very important that you speak to your vet as soon as possible.
How do I stop my dog getting Alabama rot?
It is suspected the disease spreads from muddy and wooded areas – dog owners who do walk their dogs in these places are advised to wash off any mud as soon as possible, and of course, keep close control of their dogs at all times to monitor where they go.
You can support the research into Alabama rot by donating to the Alabama Rot Research Fund (ARRF) at https://www.arrf.co.uk/
They're currently trying to raise £240,000 to help improve disease surveillance and case recording, and to help identify the cause which would in turn help create a vaccine.
You can also keep track of local cases by entering your details in the Vets4Pets case tracker, click here to visit the map: Vets4Pets map
