Happy to talk rot!

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT AGAINST ALABAMA ROT AS CASES RISE?

- DR DAVID GRANT

Can you advise on the latest information available about Alabama rot in dogs? Since hearing about this disease, I have regularly washed my greyhound's feet after walks. Is it necessary? There is disagreement between the sources I have looked at.

The medical term for this condition is cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy, (CRGV). This is just a descriptive term of the pathological changes that cause the disease.

Small blood clots form in the smallest blood vessels in the skin and kidneys. Clinically this produces ulcers in the feet, paws and lower limbs mainly.

In some dogs these heal without further problems but in others, within 1-9 days acute kidney failure occurs.

These dogs are severely ill with vomiting, inappetence, thirst and lethargy all prominent signs, and regrettably a very high mortality rate.