A vet group has issued a fresh warning over a disease which kills 90 per cent of dogs who catch it.

According to vet specialist, Anderson Moores, one disease that is currently worrying dog owners across the country is CRGV (cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy), also known as Alabama Rot.

Though very rare, Alabama Rot can be a potentially life-threatening disease for your dog and so it is worth knowing the signs and symptoms so that you can take swift action if your pet is impacted.

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The disease can cause damage to the blood vessels in the skin and sometimes the kidneys, with 90 per cent of dogs that catch it dying.

The way that it affects dogs is by causing tiny blood clots in the vessels, which block them and, in the skin, cause ulceration.

However, if the kidney or kidneys are affected, then the disease can lead to kidney failure and death.

Unfortunately, it is not known exactly what causes Alabama Rot, but the disease is known to be more prevalent in spring and winter. Dogs who are walked in muddy or woodland areas also tend to be more affected.

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The UK has now seen 287 confirmed cases in total since 2012, with eight cases in 2022. No cases have been found so far in 2023, according to Anderson Moores.

It has been tracking every live case of the disease in the country over the last few years, with an interactive map that shows you which areas of the country are or have been affected.

An interactive map shows where cases have been found, with fields behind the crematorium in Hereford an area highlighted.

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The most recent case shown on the map was in Eastnor, near Ledbury and Dorstone, in the Golden Valley, before that.

Other areas on the map include Radnor Forest and Nash Woods in Presteigne, and Glasbury near Hay-on-Wye.

According to the live data, there have been no confirmed cases in Herefordshire since 2021 when a dog died after a walk in Eastnor.

All Herefordshire cases of Alabama Rot since 2012

  • Ledbury, 2022
  • Hereford, February 2020
  • Dorstone, January 2021

Other Alabama Rot cases near Herefordshire

  • Glasbury, March 2020
  • Presteigne, December 2017
  • Suckley, January 2023
  • Malvern, March 2017
  • Longhope, near Mitcheldean, January 2018
  • Bukholt Woods, Monmouth, June 2014

No cases recently does not mean that dog owners should be complacent if they find an unexpected lesion on their dog's skin, Anderson Moores said.

It said that any owners that suspect that their dog has Alabama Rot should contact a vet immediately.

Though Alabama Rot can affect any breed of dog, those most commonly affected seem to be Labradors, spaniels and Hungarian vizslas.

Dogs of any age can also catch the disease, so keep an eye on your dog's skin regardless of how old they are.