Nanto was asking on Chat if this did originate in Alabama. The short answer is, yes, it was first identified in the state of Alabama in the 1980s.
It's clinical name is Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasulopathy - so you can see why it's generally called AR instead. (I had to look that bit up!)
The first cases in the UK were in the New Forest about 8 years ago. It is very rare, but worryingly becoming more frequent, and the scary thing is nobody knows what causes it. It seems to be worse in winter and spring and seems to be linked to muddy and woodland areas like the New Forest. There are maps online showing where cases have been identified.
The first signs are usually skin lesions, or swelling with a patch of red skin that ulcerates. The disease can very quickly travel to the dog's kidneys causing kidney failure which is usually fatal. To be honest, most vets would recommend PTS as kidney failure is so awful. The only way you can get a cast iron diagnosis is during a post mortem.
There is research but so far we don't seem any further forward with either the causes, or a vaccination or cure. One of the vet practices in the Forest is a referral centre but even they lose most dogs infected with it.
It doesn't seem to cross species - either to other animals or humans and it isn't contagious between dogs. You hear of cases where several dogs in the same family are walked together and one gets AR and the others don't.
It's clinical name is Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasulopathy - so you can see why it's generally called AR instead. (I had to look that bit up!)
The first cases in the UK were in the New Forest about 8 years ago. It is very rare, but worryingly becoming more frequent, and the scary thing is nobody knows what causes it. It seems to be worse in winter and spring and seems to be linked to muddy and woodland areas like the New Forest. There are maps online showing where cases have been identified.
The first signs are usually skin lesions, or swelling with a patch of red skin that ulcerates. The disease can very quickly travel to the dog's kidneys causing kidney failure which is usually fatal. To be honest, most vets would recommend PTS as kidney failure is so awful. The only way you can get a cast iron diagnosis is during a post mortem.
There is research but so far we don't seem any further forward with either the causes, or a vaccination or cure. One of the vet practices in the Forest is a referral centre but even they lose most dogs infected with it.
It doesn't seem to cross species - either to other animals or humans and it isn't contagious between dogs. You hear of cases where several dogs in the same family are walked together and one gets AR and the others don't.
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