Alabama rot was a prominent feature in the headlines, but now we don’t seem to hear so much about it. This rare condition is still around, however, and we’ll explore it in more detail here.

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What is Alabama rot?

Alabama rot is a potentially fatal illness, otherwise known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV). The reason why it is referred to as Alabama rot is that the disease was first reported in the 1980s in a dog racing park in Alabama, USA.

The disease affects dogs and causes damage to the blood vessels in the skin and kidneys. This causes sores on the skin as well as kidney failure. The exact cause of the disease is unknown and research is ongoing.

Although it hasn’t been in the media that much of late, there are still cases of Alabama rot being reported every year. These cases are tracked and recorded and can be seen on this map.

The disease is still uncommon, but cases have been seen all across the UK, so it is not localised to one area. Most cases occur following countryside walks and tend to be reported in the winter and spring months, rather than at warmer times of the year.

What are the symptoms of Alabama rot?

Dogs with Alabama rot usually have the following symptoms –

Skin lesions

Skin sores appear, such as swellings or red patches, which appear with no history of trauma having occurred. These skin issues tend to appear on the feet or lower legs, and occasionally on the face and underside of the chest or abdomen.

Kidney failure

The signs of kidney failure include changes in thirst and appetite. Dogs usually go off their food and may be drinking more than usual. They are also lethargic and may have vomiting and diarrhoea.

However, it is important to remember that dogs may have skin sores for other reasons and signs of kidney failure can occur with other diseases too. Your veterinarian will be able to assess the situation further to try and make a diagnosis.

What is the treatment for Alabama rot?

The treatment revolves around wound management as well as managing the acute kidney failure. Wounds can take several weeks or months to heal and may require copious flushing and even surgery. Sometimes biopsy samples are taken for analysis and for bacterial culture to assess what antibiotics may be helpful. The wounds often need bandaging with regular dressing changes.

If the dog’s blood sample results show that there is an acute kidney injury then management will involve hospitalisation for intravenous fluid therapy, and medications to help with any electrolyte imbalances. Some animals will respond successfully and can be discharged with continued monitoring, but sadly others will never fully recover and may die.

What is the prognosis?

The prognosis of the disease depends on the severity of the acute kidney injury. If your dog’s kidneys have been severely damaged and they are unable to produce normal volumes of urine then the prognosis is poor. Dogs that can produce urine with acute kidney injury may survive with intensive treatment, but some others do not. Research is being undertaken to try and improve our understanding of this condition.

How can I stop my dog from getting Alabama rot?

Unfortunately, we still don’t know enough about this disease to prevent it from occurring. General advice is to wash your dog’s feet and paws thoroughly when getting back from a muddy walk in the countryside – especially over the winter months. Be vigilant to any unusual skin sores and contact your vet as soon as possible if your dog seems unwell.

At present cases of Alabama rot are still relatively rare. Research is ongoing into this potentially fatal disease though and you can donate towards this at the following link. If you suspect your dog has Alabama rot then you must contact your vet straight away for advice and treatment.

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