A VET in Oxfordshire has confirmed it treated a dog that has died of Alabama Rot.

Hook Norton Veterinary Group announced the news on its website today. It said the dog had died in recent weeks.

Earlier this month the Oxford Mail revealed that at least one case of the disease had been recorded in Oxford. 

The vet in Hook Norton did not release an image of the dog. The Oxford Mail has shared the above picture to help dog owners spot the symptoms. 

The disease, which has no cure, causes lesions on the skin and occasionally in the mouth. It is fatal to dogs in nine out of ten cases. 

Anderson Moores, specialists in Hampshire, announced yesterday that seven more Alabama Rot cases have been confirmed in the UK, bringing the death toll to 37 in 2018, and 160 since 2012. 

The specialists shared the following information for dog owners:

  • This disease involves damage to blood vessels which leads to ulcerative lesions in the skin and in some cases, acute kidney injury resulting in kidney failure.
     
  • Whilst ulcerative lesions often develop on the paws and limbs of dogs, they can be anywhere and look like anything but there is often pain, fever, swelling and bruising.
     
  • Even if skin lesions are caused by CRGV, a large proportion of dogs will not develop acute kidney injury.
     
  • ​There is no known way to prevent the disease as we do not yet know the causative agent.
     
  • Washing muddy dogs post walk may help but we don’t know that for sure.
     
  • This disease is being reported in counties up and down the UK and as yet, there are no particular areas to avoid.
     
  • There is an up to date map showing the location of all confirmed cases since 2012 online here
     
  • More cases are seen between November and May which imply a Winter/Spring seasonality to this disease.
     
  • Thus far, only dogs have been affected by this disease