Warning to dog owners after new reports of deadly disease
TWO new cases of the deadly fungal infection Alabama Rot have been reported in Greater Manchester.
So far in 2018 there have been 12 instances of the disease, which can kill dogs, in the UK.
Recently, cases have been reported in Westhoughton, Bolton, and in Salford, while late last year there was a case in Bury.
The cause of Alabama Rot, clinically known as idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), is still unknown.
A total of 132 dogs have been confirmed with the disease across 34 counties since 2012, with 22 cases in the last two months.
Since 2012 there have been 17 confirmed cases in Greater Manchester – making it the second worst affected area in the country after Hampshire, which has had 18.
Signs warning dog owners of the disease have gone up around the Wigan and Salford border in countryside around Boothstown and Astley.
The cases confirmed by veterinary specialist referral centre, Anderson Moores, included the two local cases plus others in Brecon (Powys), Lydney and Longhope (Gloucestershire), Tonypandy (Rhondda Cynon Taf), Chulmleigh and South Molton (Devon), Chippenham (Wiltshire) and Taunton (Somerset).
The mysterious illness first appeared in the late 1980s when it affected greyhounds in America.
If not spotted early, it can lead to sudden and potentially fatal kidney failure in all breeds of dog.
Warning signs include distinct swelling, patch of red skin or an open ulcer. It is picked up on paws and legs during muddy walks, and owners are strongly advised to always wash off woodland mud.
It is suspected the extent of the disease in the UK could be wider than indicated by just the confirmed cases.
David Walker from Anderson Moores, a leading expert on the condition, said: “Unfortunately Alabama Rot cannot be diagnosed on the basis of blood tests.
“A higher level of suspicion for the disease may arise following analysis of a skin lesion sample. We can only provide 100 per cent confirmation of the disease following analysis of kidney tissue. This tissue is usually obtained after an animal has died, due to the risks associated with kidney sampling in unwell dogs suspected of having the condition.”
For further information visit vets4pets.com/stop-alabama-rot/