Dog owners in the South West are being warned as cases of the deadly flesh-eating dog disease Alabama Rot have been recently reported in the region.
In total, almost 100 cases of Alabama Rot – which first affected greyhounds in the US in the late 1980s – have now been confirmed in 27 counties across the UK since 2012, with nearly 20 in 2016 alone, raising fears that it’s on the increase.
And as the UK braces for rain this week, experts say it could gain ground across Britain.
The most recent case of Alabama rot was reported in West Chelborough, Dorchester, by Girling and Bowditch Vets, who used it’s Facebook page to put a warning out to dog owners to be wary and spot the warning signs early.
CRGV, commonly known as Alabama Rot, is a relatively new dog disease of unknown cause that affects all breeds.
In 2015, Purton Vets treated a female dog, which was walked in three wooded areas in Swindon, where areas of concern include the woods at the polo ground near Coate Water, Stratton Woods and Lydiard Park.
Advice from veterinary professionals is not to walk your dog in woodland and to always wash the mud off your dog after a walk.
