Alabama rot or cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy
‘In the Spotlight’ features bring together collections of published papers on topics of interest and importance to the veterinary professions.
If you would like to suggest a paper for inclusion in one of our published Spotlight features, or a topic for a future Spotlight feature, please email library@rcvsknowledge.org
Alabama rot or cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy
Alabama rot, also known as cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), was originally identified in greyhounds in Alabama, USA in the 1980s. Since 2012, CRGV has been observed in a range of dogs in the UK, It is a potentially fatal disease affecting dogs, which causes damage to the blood vessels of the skin and kidneys. It is often associated with sudden onset kidney failure and characterised by ulceration of the distal extremities in dogs. Skin lesions, typically appearing as ulcers or erosions on the distal limbs, ventrum or oral cavity/muzzle, commonly appear less than a week before clinical signs attributable to acute kidney injury (AKI) develop. However, there also appears to be a subset of dogs that develop a skin lesion(s) without ever developing azotaemia (non-azotaemic CRGV).
CRGV appears to be a disease with a seasonal distribution, with most cases being identified between November and May suggesting a possible Winter/Spring seasonality. On this basis, it is possible that there is an environmental trigger; however, this is unlikely to be the full story and it is possible that certain dogs are predisposed to developing the disease; some of the more commonly affected breeds include the English Springer Spaniel, Labrador Retriever and Hungarian Vizsla.
The aetiology of CRGV remains unknown at this time and common causes of AKI should be considered and excluded when presented with a dog that may be suffering from CRGV.
The disease has been under investigation by Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists (working closely with a number of other organisations) for almost 3 years. Advice, updates and information concerning CRGV are available to vets on their website.
Information sources
- Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists. Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy/Alabama rot – Veterinary Information Sheet [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists. Non azotaemic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy/Alabama rot – advice sheet for vets [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists. Information sheet for vets and Information sheet for owners [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- Blue Cross. Advice to pet owners [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- British Veterinary Association blog. Alabama rot – behind the headlines – by David Walker [posted March 2018]
- Forestry Commission England. Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV or ‘Alabama Rot’) [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- MRCVSonline. Fish vet identifies possible cause of Alabama rot [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- The Alabama Rot Research Fund (ARRF). A national charity aiming to raise awareness and funds for Alabama Rot (CRGV) research [Accessed 20/6/2018]
- Vets4Pets. Alert and mapping for vets and clients of outbreaks #stopalabamarot [Accessed 20/6/2018]
Journal articles
- Stevens, K.B. et al. (2018) Spatiotemporal patterns and agroecological risk factors for cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (Alabama Rot) in dogs in the UK. Veterinary Record, 183 (16), pp. 502 [Available on free access, accessed 26/10/2018]
- Skulberg, R. et al. (2018) Description of the use of plasma exchange in dogs with cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 19 July 2018 [Available on open access, accessed 31/7/2018]
- Vessieres, F. and Walker, D. (2018) Cutaneous & renal glomerular vasculopathy in a Springer Spaniel. Clinician’s Brief, 16(6), pp. 31-34 [Available free online, accessed 28/6/2018]
- Woodmansey, D. (2018) UK cases of Alabama rot hit all-time high. Veterinary Times, 48 (24), pp. 1
- Laura Holm (2018) Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy. BSAVA Companion, 1, pp. 39
- Holm, L. and Walker, D. (2018) Diagnosing and managing AKI caused by CRGV. Part 2. Veterinary Times, 49 (21), pp. 16-20
- Holm, L. and Walker, D. (2018) Alabama rot: update on UK cases. Part 1. Veterinary Times, 48 (5), pp. 10-11
- Carpenter, J.L. et al. (1988) Idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy of greyhounds. Veterinary Pathology, 25 (6), pp. 401-407
- Hertzke, D.M. et al. (1995) Glomerular ultrastructural lesions of idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy of greyhounds. Veterinary Pathology, 32 (5), pp. 451-459
- Holm, L.P. et al. (2015) Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy as a cause of acute kidney injury in dogs in the UK. Veterinary Record, 176, 384. [Available on open access, accessed 20/6/2018]
More references are available to download:
Podcasts/webinars
- Hosted by the Royal Veterinary College – Alabama rot-like syndrome in UK dogs – podcast by Shailen Jasani [recorded April 2014]
- Hosted by The Webinar Vet – Alabama rot: current state of play – with David Walker [recorded May 2015]
Image copyright attribute:
Autumn walk fall foliage available with CCO Creative Commons
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!