What is Alabama rot and is it dangerous to dogs?
Latest news email updates straight to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice  Being a dog owner is a wonderful thing but it doesn't come without its worries. There's a whole world of anxiety when it comes to your pup's health, especially with diseases they can pick up from doing the thing they love the most - walking. One illness to look out for is Alabama rot - which can be potentially fatal should your dog contract it. According to Vets Now, Alabama rot is a disease that causes small clots in blood vessels. These eventually result in tissue damage, skin ulcers and, in many cases, kidney failure. The disease is also known as cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy or CRG. The cause of Alabama rot remains unknown although theories put forward have included E. coli-produced toxins to parasites and bacteria. Read more - Dog owner devastated after cocker spaniel dies of Alabama rot  Studies have shown that 95 per cent of all cases of the disease occur between November and May. Latest research shows most of the cases have been confirmed in western and southern parts of England. Some of those were diagnosed after being walked in the woods. So there is a suspicion there is an environmental trigger. This could possibly be a toxin in mud dogs are absorbing, however, this is only a suspicion. Vets Now say Its about a balanced risk assessment of the factors because thousands of dogs walk in muddy, swampy areas every day without being affected by this disease. Alabama rot is rare, however, we are getting better at recognising the symptoms, which include skin lesions - which are often ulcerative lesions on the limbs. Occasionally these lesions are seen elsewhere, such as on the tummy or the mouth. You might notice that your dog has become lethargic, or has a lack of appetite and has a high temperature. More generally, your dog will become off-colour and poorly. These signs may be quite vague but could be an indication that the disease is progressing and affecting the kidneys. Advice on the Vets Now website states that treatment will depend on your dog and their blood samples. If there are skin lesions, treatment will be based on whether there is a secondary infection, and whether antibiotics or pain relief is appropriate. In more severe cases, notably increases in kidney enzymes, fluid therapy would be our first line alongside other supportive measures. Vets can also offer therapeutic plasma exchange or plasmapheresis. This involves filtering the blood so that toxic substances, including whatever causes Alabama rot, are removed. Once filtered, the blood is returned to the patient. This is a relatively new treatment but, so far, the results have been positive. If your dog contracts the disease their prognosis would depend on how advanced it is. In cases where the kidneys are affected, the prognosis is, sadly, quite poor. But the good news is the management of this disease is getting better and some dogs with suspected Alabama rot have survived. If you are concerned that your dog may be poorly with Alabama rot then you should contact your vets.