17 Feb 2023
University of Bristol researchers said they have found a potential bacterial candidate organism that could be the disease's cause – and are now appealing for veterinary professionals to help confirm this.
Allister Webb
Job Title
A team of scientists believe they could be months away from being able to identify the source of an often‑fatal canine disease.
Two dogs are known to have died after contracting cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) – also known as Alabama rot – in southern England so far this year.
But researchers at the University of Bristol said they have found a potential bacterial candidate organism that they think could be its cause.
They are now appealing for veterinary professionals to help confirm this by sending them first presentation material – before any treatment has been administered – from dogs that are thought to have the disease.
Vet and project lead Fiona Macdonald said: “What we need from vets is samples or swabs from cases or suspected cases. We need to find the organism in swabs.”
A total of 292 cases have been confirmed since CRGV was first discovered in the UK in 2012, according to the monitoring service run by Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire.
The practice, which has an online map showing the locations of all UK incidents of the disease, has now confirmed the first two cases of 2023.
They were recorded in Berkshire and Hampshire, respectively, and were both fatal, involving Hungarian vizslas. The Berkshire case is the second to have been recorded in the county in six weeks.
Josh Walker, co-lead of Anderson Moores’ work on CRGV, welcomed the new research as he renewed his plea for owners to be watchful for signs of the condition.
He said: “Unfortunately, this is the time of year when cases are most commonly identified and, sadly, we have seen the first two cases in 2023, following 11 confirmed cases in the UK last year.
“We are advising dog owners across the country to remain calm, but vigilant and seek advice from their vets if their dog develops unexplained skin lesions.”
Thought to be seasonal, the condition can affect the kidneys and is estimated to have a 90% mortality rate, with the best possible chance of survival lying in early and intensive veterinary care.
Dogs that have the disease are most often presented to vets with skin lesions on the paws, legs or underside of their bodies.
Occasionally, lesions can be found on the lips or tongue, while other presenting signs can include gastroenteritis.
Details of the type of organism thought to be involved have not been disclosed at this stage, as they are set to be the subject of a PhD thesis.
But Dr Macdonald revealed sequencing work is set to be carried out in the coming months and she believes they will be in a position to say whether the identified organism is the cause by the autumn.
She added: “It’s very exciting. Once we have fully identified it, it will give us a lot of background information on the organism.”
It is thought that knowledge could enable further research in areas such as environmental sampling, test development, the origins of the pathogen and hygiene measures owners could take if dogs are walked in potentially infected areas.
Dr Macdonald said sampling work for the organism has already taken place in the New Forest, and similar work will be undertaken in areas both with and without confirmed cases.
She added: “We’re interested in seeing how much is still out there. It will give us a fairly good impression of how widespread the disease still is.”
As well as samples, vets are being asked to provide information on the age and breed of the dogs they came from, as well as where the dog was walked and the type of terrain encountered.
Along with the disease’s potential cause, researchers are looking at whether environmental conditions, breed and age may be contributing factors.
Samples should be sent to Helen Howshall, Churchill Building, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU.
