Month: January 2016

Alabama Rot

What is Alabama Rot?The real name of the disease is Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy.(CRGV or ‘Alabama rot’) is a serious disease, which has only recently been recognised in dogs in the UK. It causes lesions on the skin and occasionally in the mouth, which can look like bites, sores, wounds or stings. Some dogs go on to develop life-threatening kidney failure. Any age, sex, or breed of dog can be affected.What causes Alabama Rot?The cause at this time remains unknown but investigations are ongoing.How do I stop my dog from getting Alabama Rot?Unfortunately, as the cause is currently unknown, it is very difficult to give specific advice about prevention. The current advice is to bathing any area of your dog which becomes wet or muddy on a walk; however, at this stage we do not know if this is necessary or of any benefit.How will I know if my dog gets Alabama Rot?Unexplained redness, sores or swelling of the skin (particularly on the paws or legs but also the body, face, tongue or mouth) are often the first sign of this disease. It is important to remember that most of the time a skin problem will NOT be caused by Alabam Rot; however, the lesions in Alabama Rot can be difficult to distinguish from cuts, wounds, stings or bites, so if in doubt it is better to seek veterinary advice. For dogs that develop Kidney failure they commonly show signs of inappetance, lethargy and vomiting at which point immediate veterinary assistance should be sought. Key Message: Although Alabama Rot can be very serious; the number of dogs affected with skin lesions and kidney failure remains low (56 confirmed cases across the UK between November ‘12 and May ‘15)If you are concerned about your dog please speak to your local vet.Please note: This information is taken from www.alabamarot.co.uk and Anderson Moores referrals.

Posted by Vet's Klinic on Monday, 18 January 2016