A HAMPSHIRE woman is urging people to "get to know the symptoms" of Alabama rot after the death of her pet and her friend's dog.

Fi Miller from Heckfield, north Hampshire, warned of the disease's threat after her dog Willow was put down by vets earlier this month.

Her friends dog, which was walked in the same woods also contracted the disease and died on December 31, 2023.

Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester confirmed the death was caused by Alabama Rot.

The owner has warned other owners about the risks in a particular woodland area, shown in red on a map, both dogs had visited independently within days of each other.

Reading Chronicle:

She said: "Please share far and wide so owners know the risks of exercising dogs in this area and know the early symptoms."

With neither dogs taking walks together, the spread of Alabama Rot raises considerable concern.

Both pets received treatment for the disease, but only Willow made it to Anderson Moores for potential diagnosis.

Anderson Moores has asked to fund a post-mortem for research, which the owner agreed to.

However, the other pet, Lula, didn’t survive long enough to reach Anderson Moores and couldn't undergo a post-mortem, but it's strongly suspected she too died from the disease.

Fi is advising dog owners to recognise early symptoms, including sickness, lameness, unexplained sores, loss of appetite, and lethargy.

Alabama rot, also known as CRGV (cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy) is a very rare, potentially life-threatening disease in dogs, causing damage to the blood vessels in the skin and sometimes the kidney.

Tiny blood clots form in the blood vessels which blocks them, and in the skin it causes ulceration, but in the kidney, it can lead to severe organ dysfunction (kidney failure).

Some dogs develop skin sores only, whilst others develop skin sores and kidney failure.

Recovery is expected in the former group; however, sadly many dogs that develop kidney failure do not survive because of this disease.

Anderson Moores said the disease is more common in the winter and spring and in dogs who walk in muddy, woodland areas.

The website also has a live map of Alabama Rot cases in Berkshire.

Visit here https://www.alabama-rot.co.uk/live-map-of-cases/