Alabama Rot (CRGV): What the First UK Case Series Found
In the first UK series of 30 dogs with skin sores and kidney failure from CRGV, all died. What the paper found, and why the data are now old.
Written by thecanineledger
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If your dog has an unexplained sore, red patch or ulcer on a leg, paw, belly or mouth, call your vet the same day. If your dog is also off food, vomiting or lethargic, call now.
Our note: This advice is ours. Most skin sores are not CRGV.
Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy, or CRGV, damages small blood vessels in the skin and kidneys. Its popular name, “Alabama rot”, comes from a similar disease described in US greyhounds. In the first UK series of dogs with skin sores and kidney failure from the disease, “All thirty dogs died or were euthanised.” (Holm et al., Veterinary Record 2015).
While that is frightening, these were the most severe cases: dogs that had already developed kidney injury. The authors couldn’t say how many dogs get the skin sores without the kidney damage.
1. The study
The dogs. The authors reviewed 30 dogs from across the UK, seen between November 2012 and March 2014. All had skin lesions and sudden kidney injury, with no other known cause. Damage to the kidney’s small blood vessels was confirmed on tissue samples.
Old data. The cases are more than ten years old. Later cases aren’t covered here.
Funding. A local council, a government forestry body, a dog owners’ group and a specialist referral practice paid for some of the diagnostic tests.
Our note: We didn’t find a newer peer-reviewed UK case series or survival data.
2. The signs
Skin first. Skin sores usually appeared before the dog became ill. They were most often on the lower legs (28 of 30 dogs), and also on the belly, mouth or muzzle. Early sores were often red patches, later becoming ulcers.
Then the kidneys. The median time from the skin sores to a diagnosis of kidney injury was four days, with a range of 1 to 9 days.
Other signs. Dogs became lethargic, stopped eating, vomited or had a fever.
3. Which dogs, and where
Breeds. Many breeds were affected. English Springer Spaniels (5), large crossbreeds (4) and Flat-Coated Retrievers (4) were the most common.
Age. The median age was 4.9 years.
The New Forest. Ten dogs had been in the New Forest National Park shortly before falling ill. Cases came from across the UK, with more in the south of England.
Winter and spring. All cases fell between November and March.
4. The cause is unknown
The authors tested for a bacterial toxin that causes a similar disease. They didn’t find it. Their conclusion: “CRGV is a disease of unknown aetiology carrying a poor prognosis when azotaemia develops.” Azotaemia means waste products building up in the blood because the kidneys are failing.
Dogs that lived with cases. Of 14 dogs living with confirmed cases, two developed skin sores and kidney injury, and six developed skin sores without kidney injury. Most of this came from owners, and whether the six had CRGV is unknown.
Our note: We found no evidence that washing your dog’s legs after muddy walks helps, so we give no advice on it.
5. If you’re worried
- Check legs, paws and mouth after walks, especially in winter and spring.
- Most sores have ordinary causes, but an unexplained one deserves a vet’s look.
- Tell your vet where you’ve walked recently.
Our note: These points are ours, not the sources’.
→ Antibiotic-Resistant Skin Infections (MRSP) · → Leptospirosis: The Disease, Not the Vaccine
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Alabama rot is always fatal” | All 30 dogs with kidney injury died here. Dogs with skin sores alone weren’t studied. |
| “It comes from the New Forest” | A third of dogs had been there. Cases came from across the UK. |
| “It’s caused by a known bacterial toxin” | Not found. The cause is unknown. |
Sources
- Holm LP, Hawkins I, Robin C, et al. Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy as a cause of acute kidney injury in dogs in the UK. Vet Rec 2015: case series, 30 dogs, 2012 to 2014. Part-funded by local bodies and a referral practice
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.