Alabama Rot in Dogs in the UK: Signs, Risk and Vet Care

Alabama rot is a rare but serious disease that causes skin sores, usually on a dog’s paws or lower legs, and in some dogs leads to sudden kidney failure. Most sores have a more ordinary cause, but any unexplained sore needs prompt veterinary advice, and a dog with a sore that also seems unwell needs a vet straight away.

Alabama rot is the common name for cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy, usually called CRGV. It affects very small blood vessels, causing skin lesions and, in some dogs, serious kidney injury. You cannot tell at home whether a sore is CRGV.

What Alabama rot is

CRGV has been recognised in UK dogs since 2012. It is classed as a thrombotic microangiopathy, which means tiny blood clots form in the smallest blood vessels. These clots can damage the skin and cause ulcers. They can also affect the kidneys and, less often, other organs.

The condition was first reported in greyhounds in America in the 1980s, which is where its familiar name came from. In the UK, however, it has been seen in many breeds, in dogs of different ages and sizes, and in both males and females. A breed, a walk or a patch of mud cannot tell you whether an individual dog will develop it.

No one yet knows what causes CRGV. Researchers have looked at environmental triggers, infections and factors in the dogs themselves, but none has been proved.

Signs that need a vet’s advice

A skin ulcer is often the first change owners notice. It may begin as a small cut, scrape, red patch, bruise or what looks like a sting. CRGV lesions are most often found on the toes, pads, paws, feet or lower legs. They can also appear on the head, muzzle, tongue, flank or belly.

Most skin ulcers are not caused by CRGV. Injuries and other skin problems are far more common, but a vet should check a sore that has no clear cause rather than relying on its appearance alone. Contact your practice promptly if you find one, especially if it is painful, swollen, growing, or your dog is limping.

Some dogs with CRGV develop skin lesions only and may recover. In others, kidney failure can follow one to nine days after the skin ulcer is first noticed. Call your vet straight away if a new or unexplained skin sore comes with any of these changes:

• unusual tiredness or low energy
• eating less than usual
• nausea or vomiting
• drinking more than usual
• passing less urine than usual

If your dog collapses, has a seizure, seems severely weak, or is not passing urine, call an emergency veterinary service at once. Ring before you travel if you can. The team can advise you on the next step and prepare for your arrival.

Do not wait for a sore to become large before making the call. A photo may help show how it looked when you first found it, but only take one if doing so does not hold up the appointment.

How common it is and what affects risk

CRGV is exceedingly rare compared with the everyday reasons dogs get cuts, sore paws or upset stomachs. The Royal Veterinary College recorded 318 confirmed UK cases between November 2012 and February 2024. Those were dogs diagnosed after death by examining kidney tissue. The total number of dogs that developed CRGV and survived is not known, as a definite diagnosis in a living dog is difficult.

Cases have come from across the UK. Early reports centred on the New Forest, but Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire, which tracks UK cases, has recorded them in almost every county. Veterinary guidance does not advise owners to avoid particular walking areas.

Anderson Moores reports that more than nine in ten cases occur between November and May. Cases have also been associated with some types of environment, including woodland, and government guidance notes reports in dogs walked in muddy woodland areas. These links do not prove that mud or woodland causes CRGV. Most dogs walked in these places will never develop the condition.

A 2018 study using the RVC’s VetCompass records found that gundogs and hounds were more likely to be affected than terriers, with breeds such as flat-coated retrievers, Hungarian vizslas, whippets and English springer spaniels at higher odds. Even in those breeds the disease is very rare, and any dog can be affected. The RVC notes that UK cases have affected many breeds, large and small, with a wide age range.

What to do when you find a skin sore

Look at the area calmly, but do not keep touching it if your dog is sore. Note where it is, when you first saw it and whether it has changed. It also helps to tell your vet whether your dog has been eating, drinking and weeing normally, and whether there has been vomiting, diarrhoea or a drop in energy.

For any ulcer without a clear cause, ask your vet for advice without waiting to see whether it clears. The same applies if you think a wound is deep, dirty, bleeding or painful, or if your dog is limping or persistently licking it. Your vet can decide how quickly they need to see your dog.

Do not give human painkillers, leftover antibiotics or medicine prescribed for another pet. This is particularly important where CRGV is a concern, because the kidneys may be affected. Your vet will choose treatment based on the wound and your dog’s general health.

How vets check for CRGV

There is no home test for Alabama rot and no single non-invasive test that can confirm it in a living dog. Your vet will examine the lesion and consider other causes of skin ulcers as well. They may recommend blood tests, urine tests and checks of kidney function. In suspected cases, these may need repeating because kidney problems can appear after the skin lesion.

A confirmed diagnosis usually needs examination of kidney tissue after death, so a living dog is described as having suspected CRGV. Testing can still show whether the kidneys are being affected and guide your dog’s care.

There is no specific treatment for CRGV because its cause is unknown. Dogs with skin lesions may need treatment for the ulcer and monitoring of kidney function. If kidney problems develop, hospital care and supportive treatment may be needed. Your vet may also suggest referral to a specialist, depending on how unwell your dog is.

Dogs that develop skin lesions alone can make a full recovery. The outlook for dogs that develop kidney failure is poor, and many do not survive even with intensive treatment. The RVC reported in 2024 that about 30% of dogs clinically diagnosed with CRGV at its referral hospital had survived, though a referral hospital sees a different mix of cases from a local practice. Specialist treatment options narrow as the disease progresses, so early checks on the kidneys matter.

Can Alabama rot be prevented?

There is no proven way to prevent CRGV because the cause is still unknown. Washing your dog’s feet and lower legs after a walk is sometimes suggested, but there is no evidence that it prevents the condition. It can, however, help you spot a cut, thorn, swelling or sore on the areas where lesions are often seen.

If your dog is muddy, rinse their feet and legs with plain lukewarm water, then dry them gently. Check between the toes and around the pads as part of your normal after-walk routine. There is no need to stop visiting woodland because of Alabama rot.