Dog Owners Warned of deadly “Alabama Rot” as cases spread throughout the UK

Owners are being warned to look out for signs of a deadly disease which can be fatal to dogs.

Alabama Rot, known scientifically as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV). The disease can be picked up in Woodland and when dogs play in mud, especially in colder and wetter months.

According to the RSPCA, the rot damages the dog’s blood vessels in the skin and kidneys, which causes visible sores on the skin and can lead to severe organ dysfunction and ultimately kidney failure.

Vets have warned that the disease is still not well understood, and as a result has a 90% fatality rate amongst dogs who suffer it.

In recent weeks several dogs in the UK have died from it.

Signs to look out for on dogs include “Skin sores, visible swelling, red patches or skin defects not caused by a known injury. These skin lesions typically appear below the knee or elbow, and occasionally on the face or at the bottom of the chest or abdomen. Changes in appetite – reduced appetite, drinking more, vomiting and lethargy are signs of acute kidney injury.”