How to Know If My Dog Has Alabama Rot?

Strange and with no apparent cause, "Alabama Rot" is a disease worrying pet owners in the United States and the United Kingdom due to its high mortality rates.

This condition is characterized by skin lesions and subsequent kidney problems that prove fatal for 9 out of 10 dogs that contract it. Want to know more about its symptoms and treatment? Let's get to it.

Where Did Alabama Rot Originate?

The first cases of Alabama Rot were identified in greyhounds in the US state of Alabama during the 1980s. Nowadays, the disease affects every dog breed (Greenetrack racing park).

The British newspaper "The Mirror" describes it as a "very rare" condition and notes that 189 deaths have been recorded since the first case of Alabama Rot in the United Kingdom in 2012, with the most recent death occurring in June 2019.

What Is Alabama Rot?

The Alabama Rot Research Fund (ARRF) notes it's a disease characterized by causing acute skin erythema and rapid skin ulcers on the hind legs. It's scientifically defined as idiopathic renal glomerular vasculopathy (the cause is unknown).

Alabama Rot, a Mysterious Disease

So far, the exact cause of Alabama Rot remains unknown, though some research conducted in the United States speculates the disease is linked to E. coli bacteria, though this isn't very clear.

Vets suggest the disease doesn't discriminate based on factors such as age, sex, or weight; but it has been recorded more often in breeds: Greyhound, Great Dane.

The ARRF notes there's a seasonal pattern in which 90% of cases occur between November and May, and it seems to affect dogs that have walked through muddy, wooded areas more.

Symptoms of Alabama Rot in Dogs

The first sign shown by dogs affected by Alabama Rot is skin lesions presenting as ulcers (not caused by any physical laceration) and papules. These occur mainly on the hind legs, but also in other areas such as the scrotum.

Some dogs develop acute, usually fatal kidney failure. At the cellular (or histopathological) level, skin lesions are characterized by vascular necrosis. The kidneys likewise show changes in the blood vessels.

Is There Treatment to Cure Alabama Rot?

The vet can take a biopsy of the skin lesions, run complete bloodwork… There's currently no specific treatment, so it's limited to treating the wounds and giving the necessary drugs to address the kidney problems. Even when there's appetite and treatment, its course is complicated.

In 2018, 6 dogs at an advanced stage of the disease underwent a procedure known as plasmapheresis, which involves cleansing the blood of the particles considered responsible for a disease or its symptoms.

This method was successful in 2 of the 6 animals treated, which fueled hope that this process could translate into better survival rates, especially if the disease is caught early, before it causes vascular and kidney damage.

Can Alabama Rot Be Prevented?

Since the cause of this condition is unknown and it appears so suddenly, it's very hard to give specific advice on how to prevent it. However, vets suggest owners wash their pets' legs immediately after walking through muddy environments and, as much as possible, keep them away from these areas.

Remember that at any suspicion your beloved dog may have contracted Alabama Rot, you should seek professional help immediately — this will increase its chances of overcoming the disease, although it has a guarded prognosis.