First CRGV Case Of Autumn Confirmed By Anderson Moores

Linnaeus-owned Anderson Moores near Winchester has been leading research into the devastating disease since 2012 and last year launched a website dedicated to CRGV, often referred to as Alabama Rot, which offers advice and information, including a map of confirmed UK cases.

The referral centre has now confirmed the new case, a seven-year-old Labradoodle in Godstone, Surrey, which is the first of the ‘season’ and an eighth case in total for the year.

Josh Walker, an American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) diplomate, leads the CRGV research at Anderson Moores alongside David Walker, American, RCVS and EBVS European specialist in small animal internal medicine.

Josh said: “We’re very sad to confirm a new case of CRGV and the first of the autumn. Unfortunately, we now find ourselves at the time of year when cases are most commonly identified.

“It is understandably worrying for dog owners; however, I must stress this disease is still very rare.

“We’re advising dog owners across the country to remain calm but vigilant and to seek advice from their vets if their dog develops unexplained skin lesions.”

The disease, which originally appeared in the late 1980s, was first detected in the UK in 2012. It predominantly affects the kidneys and has a mortality rate of around 90 per cent.

CRGV WEBSITE

This confirmed case follows 28 throughout 2021 and is the eighth this year, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the UK to 287.

While Alabama Rot is often fatal, Mr Walker said the best chance of recovery probably lies with early and intensive veterinary care, which may be best provided at a specialist facility.

He said: “We have been at the forefront of research into CRGV for almost a decade and have witnessed first-hand the often-devastating effects of the disease.

“Treatment largely revolves around management of the sudden onset kidney failure and, sadly, with our current understanding of the disease, is only successful in around 10 per cent of cases.”

Mr Walker added that he hoped the dedicated CRGV website launched by Anderson Moores last year would be a useful tool in raising awareness of the disease among dog owners.

“We launched our bespoke CRGV website last year and, in doing so, we aim to give pet owners as much information as possible about the disease,” he said.

“We hope the confirmed case map will also prove useful. Although an environmental trigger has not been definitively proven, the seasonality of the disease makes it eminently possible and the map allows everyone to see the location of confirmed cases.”

Anderson Moores offers specialist care in anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, feline hyperthyroid clinic, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics and soft tissue surgery.

To view Anderson Moores’ dedicated CRGV website, which includes a nationwide map of cases. visit www.alabama-rot.co.uk.