Vets confirm new Alabama rot cases in England

Vets have renewed their pleas for caution among dog owners after two new cases of cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) were confirmed in England.

The latest incidents of the disease, which is also known as Alabama rot, were discovered in Milton Keynes and Shropshire last month, but have only been confirmed now following testing.

Experts at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire say that, although the cases have been reported relatively late in the disease’s usual season, they were initially seen within expected timeframes for new incidents.

There have now been four confirmed cases in the UK so far this year, following 11 others in 2022.

Remain calm

Josh Walker, co-lead of the practice’s CRGV research programme, said: “We’re advising dog owners across the country to remain calm, but vigilant and seek advice from their vets if their dog develops unexplained skin lesions.”

CRGV affects the kidneys and currently has a 90% mortality rate. A total of 294 incidents have now been recorded since the disease was first detected in the UK in 2012. An online map shows the locations of previously confirmed incidents.

Earlier this year, academics from the University of Bristol revealed they believed they had identified a bacterial organism that may cause the disease.

They issued an appeal for vets to provide swabs and samples of first presentation material, before any treatment had been administered, of either confirmed or suspected cases in order to test for its presence.