Amanda Milling, Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase, has met with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP to discuss Alabama Rot, a deadly disease which affects dogs.
More commonly known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV), Alabama Rot is a disease that has proved fatal for several dogs in Cannock Chase over the Autumn and Winter.
The Cannock Chase MP recently met with the Secretary of State to ask the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to urge the government to take proactive action to raise public awareness of the disease as well as encouraging efforts to find a vaccine and cure.
Alabama Rot has made the national headlines recently, as well as locally, following a number of cases that have been linked to Cannock Chase.
The Cannock Chase MP has been contacted my several dog owners who have lost their dogs to the mysterious disease and she hopes more can be done to identify the causes of it. Currently little is known about this disease that experts are yet to confirm what causes it or how to cure it, and there is currently no vaccine to protect dogs from it.
Amanda Milling MP said: “Very little is known about Alabama Rot, with experts not knowing what causes it, how to cure it or vaccinate against it. I therefore met with the Environment Secretary to urge him to do more to make the public aware of the disease, the symptoms and ways to protect dogs from it, as well as encouraging efforts to find a vaccine and cure.”
Local dog owners are being asked to be vigilant and are advised to clean their paws after every walk and check for any cuts or abrasions that are not healing. Anyone who is concerned about their dog’s health should seek assistance from their local vet.
The first sign that the disease has been contracted is skin sores (typically below the knee or elbow, or occasionally on the stomach or face) that have not been caused by a physical injury. These sores can present as lesions, swelling, a patch of red skin, or may be open and ulcer-like. These lesions will be followed a few days later by symptoms of kidney failure, reduced appetite, fatigue and vomiting.
The Cannock Chase MP added: “I have written to various organisations, local authorities and vets to raise the issue and the suspected cases locally. Because so little is known about the disease experts do not yet know what causes it or how animals become infected. I would urge dog owners to remain vigilant and follow the advice from vets to clean their dog’s paws after every walk. If their dog does have a cut or abrasion that is not healing they should seek advice from their local vet.”