Call your vet immediately if you suspect Alabama Rot—also called cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV)—or find an unexplained skin sore and are concerned. Tell the practice what you have noticed and when it appeared; the veterinary team can advise how urgently your dog needs to be seen. Do not wait for signs of kidney illness. This UK-focused guidance cannot diagnose your dog, and most skin lesions have other causes.
What to do now
- Phone your veterinary practice promptly. Describe the lesion, where it is, when you first noticed it, and any changes in your dog’s appetite, energy, drinking, vomiting, or urination. The RSPCA advises contacting a vet immediately if you are concerned about Alabama Rot, and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) recommends veterinary advice for an unexpected skin ulcer. RSPCA guidance; RVC FAQs.
- Follow the vet’s instructions about examination and monitoring. If the practice asks you to come in, go as directed. If it recommends monitoring, clarify which signs to watch for and when to call back.
- Do not try to treat the suspected condition at home instead of calling. Avoid giving medicines or applying wound treatments as a substitute for veterinary advice. The RVC specifically cautions against NSAIDs when CRGV is a clinical concern because of possible effects on the kidneys.
Signs that can raise concern
Skin changes
CRGV can begin with unexplained redness, swelling, a mark, sore, or ulcer. Lesions are often on the toes, pads, paws, feet, or lower legs, but can also occur on the head, muzzle, mouth, tongue, flank, belly, or elsewhere. They may look like a small cut, bruise, sting, or open sore. A lesion’s appearance or location alone cannot confirm CRGV: most skin lesions are caused by something else. RSPCA guidance; RVC FAQs.
Possible kidney-related signs
Reduced appetite, lethargy, nausea or vomiting, increased thirst, and reduced urination can be signs of kidney injury. The RVC says kidney injury typically develops within one to nine days after skin ulcers are first noticed, although timing can vary. That interval is not a safe waiting period: seek veterinary advice about a suspicious ulcer and follow the monitoring plan your vet gives you.
What a vet may check and what treatment can involve
Your vet may examine the lesion and assess kidney function with blood chemistry tests and urinalysis. A skin or kidney biopsy may be considered. If kidney injury develops, treatment may require hospital supportive care and referral to a specialist. The RVC describes plasma exchange as an advanced supportive option that may be considered in specific circumstances; it is not established as a guaranteed cure. RVC FAQs; PDSA guidance.
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The cause of CRGV is unknown, and there is no specific treatment that cures the underlying disease. Care depends on the signs and their severity. If costs are a concern, discuss the available options and their likely benefits and limits directly with your vet; PDSA recommends talking openly about finances and treatment choices. PDSA guidance.
Risk, washing after walks, and prevention
Alabama Rot is very rare in the UK but can be life-threatening. UK government guidance says reported cases are more common in winter and spring and among dogs walked in muddy woodland. These associations do not establish that a particular walk caused exposure or that any location is confirmed safe. The cause remains unknown. UK Ministry of Defence guidance; RSPCA guidance.
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After a wet, muddy walk, washing mud off and checking your dog’s paws and legs is a reasonable way to help spot a lesion. The RVC says there is no evidence that washing prevents CRGV. Avoid treating washing, avoiding woodland, or using a product as proven prevention. RVC FAQs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the survival figure does—and does not—tell you
As of March 2024, approximately 30% of dogs clinically diagnosed with CRGV at the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals had survived, according to the RVC. This describes a referral-hospital population, which the RVC cautions may differ from cases seen in general practice. It is neither an individual dog’s prognosis nor an overall UK survival rate. RVC FAQs.
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