Warning following heartbreaking loss
A DOG owner has paid tribute to her ‘affectionate and clever” pet that died after contracting a vicious disease while on a walk.
Laura Pearce from Llangennech wants to raise awareness and warn local people of Alabama rot, the disease that killed her five-year-old Hungarian vizsla, Max, in just 12 days.
Max loved coming off the lead and running wild into the rivers and in the mud, but Laura believes that’s what ultimately caused his death.
Since 2012, there have been 241 confirmed cases of Alabama rot in the UK. Unfortunately, most dogs that develop it don’t survive as no cure has been found.
According to the RSPCA, Alabama rot, otherwise known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy, is a disease that affects dogs. It damages the 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.
Laura had taken Max for his normal walk around the estuary in Llangennech and in the fields by Hendre Park in the village. Everything seemed fine until Laura noticed sores on Max’s paws and he went off his food. Laura said she was a big dog lover and was very active on vizsla UK sites, so she was aware Alabama rot was something to look out for.
Laura and her husband took action immediately. She said: “We took Max to the vets because he had all the symptoms, like sores and he went off his food. As soon as he got the sores I thought it was because I’ve seen pictures of Alabama rot so I thought it really was and my husband thought it was.” She said they were told he would probably be dead in 48 hours if it was Alabama rot.
There’s no test for the disease and owners have to wait until post mortem to find out if it was present. It was in Max’s case.
Laura said Max deteriorated quite quickly. She said: “The way he died was so awful because he just got worse and worse, his liver and kidneys were failing so he was so ill and he couldn’t eat for a week and he just got thin in the middle but a bloated tummy and he looked so ill.
“I think he knew on his final day because I sat on the floor and wrapped him in a blanket and he came to lay on me. It was hurting him so much to lay down he stood up and put his snout on my husband and walked towards the door to go and I think that was his goodbye. It was so sad.”
The typical signs of Alabama rot according to RSPCA are skin sores, visible swelling, red patch 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.
Laura and her family have two other dogs, a Hungarian vizsla called Ginger and a miniature dachshund called Nancy who she said were struggling a lot with the passing of Max.
Laura said: “Ginger is heartbroken because she’s Max’s wife, and they’ve had puppies together and she just doesn’t know what to do with herself because Max was five and she’s four so he’s been there her whole life. Ginger
and Max did everything together and she’s pining for him and seems to search for him when we go walking and barks at me to follow her and look in all the places he used to run free.”
Laura described Max as a “massive part of the family”, adding: “We just loved him so much and he was such a lovely boy, everyone loved Max. It’s heartbreaking.
“He was a really big, friendly, silly dog and he was really loving. He was so affectionate and clever. I had breast cancer three years ago and he was so lovely and every time I had chemo he’d come and lay on me and he knew when I was ill and he was so amazing.”
Laura is concerned for other dogs in the area and has urged dog owners to be careful and wash their pets’ paws and legs after any muddy walks as this reduces the risk.