Cases of Alabama Rot in the UK now total more than 100 since 2012 after fresh cases were reported in Greater Manchester, West Sussex, East Sussex and Devon. They follow the first ever Alabama Rot UK conference in Reading, where vets, nurses and academics joined together to search for the answers relating to the flesh-eating illness killing canines across the UK.
But what is Alabama Rot and is there a cure?
The disease was first discovered in Alabama, US in the 1980s and initially affected greyhounds. Termed 'Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV or ‘Alabama Rot’), the disease causes lesions on the skin and in the mouth which can look like bites, sores, wounds or stings. Some dogs go on to develop life-threatening kidney failure. In particular, Alabama Rot causes small blood clots to form in blood vessels and damages the affected tissue – including organs and skin. What starts as sores can become more serious within days, at which point dogs get symptoms of acute kidney injury (vomiting, reduced hunger or unusual tiredness).
The first recorded case of Alabama Rot in the UK was December 2012. It is still unknown how the disease mutated here. In that time, the disease has killed almost 100 dogs across the UK and continues to baffle veterinarians as to its cause. The concern is now mounting, as while the illness is rare, it has proven fatal in 90 per cent of cases.
Alabama Rot is not determined by dog age, sex, weight or breed and, in theory, any dog can catch Alabama Rot, anywhere in the UK. Between November 2012 and May 2015, 56 dogs were diagnosed with Alabama Rot. An interactive Google map has identified all of the recorded cases since 2012 and shows a wide spread over different geographical areas, suggesting there is no hot-zone of infection.
Since the disease went unchecked for a period of time, the dog deaths were only attributed to 'unknown causes' until vets started linking the surge to Alabama Rot. There is a concentration around the New Forest National Park, with at least 25 cases spread out from Bournemouth to Southampton, but the reasons are unknown.
The disease has been under investigation in the UK by Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists for almost three years. Many possible causes, such as common bacterial infections and exposure to toxins, have been ruled out. Other possible options, such as a reaction to certain vegetation have also been discounted.
In January 2015, David Walker of Anderson Moores said that: “We do not know for certain if there is an environmental trigger for Alabama Rot. Indeed, if there is an environmental trigger we do not know when, in relation to the development of clinical signs, this occurs (e.g. environmental exposure could occur one day, one week, or one month before clinical signs develop). Any information posted about geographical location may therefore not be that relevant given dogs are often walked in different areas.”
As the cause is unknown, there is no known way of preventing transmission. Monitoring your dog and checking in with a vet at the first sign of any unusual lesions is the best course of action. There may also be a seasonal variation in the illness.
In the past three years, more cases of Alabama Rot have been recorded from November to May than between June and October, prompting some to believe there is a possible seasonality to the illness. Some 55 cases (93 per cent) have been recorded in this winter-spring period, as opposed to four (7 per cent) in other months. Being extra vigilant over this period could reduce the risk.
Without a proven cause, no vaccine can be developed. Since the disease is extremely rare, most vets are likely to have never treated a case of Alabama Rot before, but the sooner you get your dog to the vet, the better the chance of effective treatment. The vet can either give your dog a combination of antibiotics and appropriately treat and dress any wounds, or, if the illness has progressed to the severe stage of kidney failure, the dog may require specialist treatment.
Since research is still underway into the cause of the disease, you can help raise awareness with the hashtag #StopAlabamaRot as well as keeping up to date with information regarding symptoms and treatment.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
