6 Dec 2019
David Walker is leading research into cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), also known as Alabama rot. He speaks to the Vet Times Podcast about those research efforts, including the clinical signs to look out for.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
David Walker.
CRGV was previously reported in greyhounds in the US during the 1980s and 1990s. In the UK, 193 cases have been reported in the UK, with 92% of cases coming between the months of November and May.
It is often characterised by ulceration of the distal extremities in dogs, and is invariably associated with clinically significant renal azotaemia secondary to acute kidney injury.
In 2018, 52 cases were confirmed in the UK, with 40 in 2017. As of the time of releasing this podcast (6 December 2019), 18 cases had been confirmed in the UK in 2019.
Anderson Moores, and its owner Vets4Pets, are at the forefront of work on CRGV. Anderson Moores’ website features a veterinary information sheet [bit.ly/35YfNWy] that details background on the disease and guidance on how clinicians can potentially diagnose it.
News stories about CRGC are also searchable at vettimes.co.uk and an update on UK cases is also available on the website in the two-part “Alabama rot: update on UK cases“.
David Walker, BVetMed(Hons), DipACVIM, DipECVIM-CA, FRCVS, is an RCVS, American and European board-recognised specialist in small animal internal medicine. He graduated at the RVC and completed a one-year rotating internship at its Queen Mother Hospital for Animals.
After a year in first opinion practice, David returned to RVC to undertake a three-year residency in small animal internal medicine, which he completed in 2008. David passed the certifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the same year, thus becoming an ACVIM diplomate and American-recognised specialist in small animal internal medicine.
Following his residency training, David remained at the RVC as a lecturer in small animal internal medicine and has worked in private referral practice since 2009. He Anderson Moores to head the medicine service in 2011.
He is interested in all aspects of internal medicine, but particularly gastroenterology and endocrinology.
In 2019, David was made a fellow of the RCVS for meritorious contributions to clinical practice. Fellowship is the highest status of membership of the college and is awarded for outstanding contributions to the veterinary profession.
