Understanding Alabama Rot

Alabama rot is a disease, that affects dogs. This is a rare disease; however, it is worth being aware of the basic facts to keep your canine companions safer.

What is Alabama Rot?

This disease was first seen in the 1980s in the US, at the time it seemingly just impacted Greyhounds. The cases of this disease faded quickly, however, in 2012 cases with similar symptoms started to occur in the UK, so this is thought to be the same disease.

Unlike the original cases of Alabama rot, dogs of all breeds, ages and sizes are affected.

Known by the scientific name Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV), Alabama rot is a disease that damages the blood vessels in a dog’s skin and sometimes the kidneys.

This leads to tiny blood clots forming in the blood vessels. This blocks them and leads to ulceration of the skin and potentially severe kidney damage or failure.

Some dogs will only develop skin sores however some dogs will suffer from skin sores and kidney dysfunction. Unfortunately, those that develop kidney failure are unlikely to survive.

This of course sounds terrifying to dog owners; however, it should be emphasised that is this a rare disease. Research is also ongoing to fully determine the cause and help keep dogs safer.

For more statistics and more information on Alabama Rot, visit the official Anderson Moore site for vet professionals and pet owners.

What Are the Symptoms of Alabama Rot?

Although it is very unlikely your dog will fall sick, it is worth knowing what to look out for. These are the typical signs of Alabama rot:

• Unexplained Redness
• Swelling of the skin -without a known injury
• Reduced Appetite
• Weakness and lethargy

Of course, these symptoms could be much more likely attributed to other factors, such as dietary or environmental allergies or an injury.

Learn more about Dogs and Chicken Allergies

Explore our Guide to Dog Hay Fever

How To Avoid Alabama Rot

Unfortunately, due this being a disease of unknown origin, it is very hard to give advice around avoiding Alabama Rot.

The key advice offered by the official Alabama rot website, is to wash your dog down after muddy walks.

Ensure you remove all leftover mud and towel dry off your dog.

Please don’t let this put you off walking your dog, walks are an important part of your canine companion’s routine. The number of cases reported is extremely low and avoiding going outside will ultimately do more harm than good!

What Should I Do If I Notice Symptoms?

If you notice symptoms that could be Alabama Rot, or your dog is acting unusual. Get in contact with your vet ASAP.

The sooner you can get them seen the better. In the unlikely case your dog has Alabama Rot, the quicker treatment is sought the better the outcome may be.

Remember Alabama Rot is very rare it is just worth knowing the signs and symptoms of this disease. There are tens of thousands of dogs being walked across our beautiful countryside with no issues.

Speaking of walkies, why not make your one even more exciting? Read our Guide to Making Dog Walks More Fun.