Alabama rot is a bit of a hot topic in the doggy world and definitely something to be aware of. It’s a disease of unknown cause that can affect any dog, but active pooches that are out and about could be more at risk, as the disease is thought to be picked up on muddy walks especially in woodland areas. It is 90% fatal in dogs so get clued up to keep your pooch safe.

Symptoms of Alabama Rot

Knowing the symptoms is the best way to care for your dog, here’s what to look out for:

The first sign is usually a skin legion, a sore open wound or red ulcer like patch, which is not caused by any known injury. They would usually be found below the knee or on the face. (There are plenty of graphic images showing Alabama Rot, so check them out online if you want to see examples, but we thought we’d leave that decision to you!)

Then, within 2-7 days outward signs of kidney failure could develop, including loss of appetite, vomiting or unusual tiredness.
Left untreated kidney failure can be sudden and fatal so the best way to protect your dog is to make sure you wash their paws and any muddy areas after walks.

Check your area for confirmed cases of Alabama Rot by clicking on this link to a map of cases in the UK.

Although dangerous, it is important to keep Alabama Rot in perspective, there have been 69 confirmed cases since 2017 nationwide, so not going for walks would be a drastic measure that is unnecessary, just washing messy paws and being aware should be sufficient.

Sign up to a petition to Require DEFRA to fund research into the cause/s of Alabama Rot in dogs here so one day we could all understand this dangerous disease.

Together we can keep our dogs’ safe and healthy, track your dog’s exercise and make sure they’re in pawfect condition with PitPat!