What is Alabama rot?
Alabama rot, also known as CRGV (Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy) is a life threating disease that affects dogs. The disease results in blood clots which can block and damage blood vessels. This causes damage to the skin resulting in visible ulcerations and it can also affect the kidney’s blood vessels, leading to organ dysfunction and kidney failure. The cause of Alabama rot is unknown. We know it has been reported more in Winter and Spring months, normally when dogs are walked in wet muddy woodland.
What are the symptoms of Alabama rot?
Common areas affected are paws, lower legs, lower body, face, mouth and tongue.
What to do if you suspect your pet has Alabama rot?
It is very important that you contact your vet immediately. If your dog is affected, getting an early examination and treatment plan is essential. Unfortunately, the disease can be fatal and sadly the cause is still unknown, so no cure exists.
Can you help prevent it?
Unfortunately, the cause of the disease is unknown, so there is no guarantee or proven method for avoiding it.
We do know some dogs affected walk in wet muddy woodland, so we suggest:
Back in June 2018, our Firgrove vets were presented with an interesting emergency case. Henry, a little seven-year-old Yorkshire terrier cross had injured himself whilst out playing in the garden. He had what we call a ‘degloving’ injury which is where the skin is stripped away from an area, which in his case was on his left front leg. Unfortunately for Henry, the injury was so extensive that the wound affected the entire circumference of his leg. This meant that it would not heal, even with bandaging and wound support. Our vets were left with the decision to amputate, or try a technique called a bi-pedicle skin graft, also known as a pouch graft. His owner was very keen to try to save his leg, so we agreed we would perform the pouch graft.
To perform a pouch graft, there are two phases. In phase one, a tunnel is made through the skin of the side of the chest. The leg is then posted through the tunnel so that the tunnel of skin covers the wound. The chest skin is then stitched over the leg so it is secure and left to heal onto the leg for two to three weeks. To do this successfully, we needed to make sure that Henry would manage on three legs comfortably and quietly enough to allow the skin to take. So, after cleaning up the leg and trimming away any dead tissue, before we started the pouch graft, he was bandaged with the leg strapped to his chest for the night to see how he would cope, which we were pleased to say he managed perfectly! The next day we went ahead with phase one of the pouch graft and his leg was stitched into the pouch which healed beautifully. Stage two of the graft involves releasing the leg from the pouch, so long as the skin from the chest has healed onto the leg sufficiently. The leg is released by cutting a rectangle of skin around the leg away leaving enough skin taken from the chest to wrap around the rest of the leg, and the resulting wound on the chest is stitched back together.
For Henry, his recovery wasn’t easy. The outer part of the graft took nicely on the leg, but the inner portion of the graft struggled with getting a good blood supply, and some dead tissue had to be trimmed away. Fortunately, most of the graft was very healthy, and a bed of tissue had formed underneath the entire graft for new skin to grow over. This meant that the recovery was slightly longer than expected, but over time, with careful dressing changes and the help of some medical grade manuka honey applied to the wound, in addition to Henry’s owner and our team’s complete dedication to saving his leg, the wound healed completely and he is now back to normal.
Henry was such a superstar of a patient, he coped incredibly with all the procedures to help save his leg, and we are so happy to say that he is now leading a normal life on all four legs!
Teddy Cameron is a handsome one and a half year old short-haired cat. He was presented to our Basingstoke branch after spending the whole night vomiting.Teddy was stabilised at the emergency clinic over night and came in to us for a check-up in the morning. He was brighter but the vet could feel something was not right with his intestines. Poor Teddy was sore when touched on one specific area and he was still feeling sick.
X-rays showed that there was a blockage in Teddy’s intestines and it required emergency surgery. During the surgery, we discovered that Teddy had an unusual condition called an “intussusception” of his small intestine. This means that the intestine slid into itself, became trapped, started to swell and caused a blockage.
This is a life-threatening situation if left for too long. Sadly, the intestine was too stuck and damaged to save it, so the vet team needed to surgically cut it away and stitch the two remaining ends together.
This procedure has some possible complications associated with it but it was Teddy’s only chance. The next few days were critical for Teddy but thanks to our dedicated nursing team and Teddy being the ultimate trooper, he pulled through. We are pleased to say his wounds have now healed up, and he is back to his normal self playing with his friend Tusk.
If your pet is booked to have a general anaesthetic or operation:
It is helpful if dogs are taken for a short walk before coming to the surgery for their comfort.
You will be asked to sign a consent form for the procedure. A vet or a nurse will go through this form with you, please ask for a detailed estimate if you require one.
We will ask you to ring later in the day to see how your pet is and to book a discharge appointment.
Your pet will be admitted by one of our nurses or vets and will receive a thorough pre op check and a cuddle to settle them in. The operation will be carried out during the day.
Your pet will be discharged by one of our veterinary surgeons or nurses, usually in the late afternoon or early evening of the same day, unless we have specified differently.
Please see our Post Op instructions for your pet’s after care.
Payment
Payment will be expected in full at the time of collection.
Insurance claims
If you have not done so we will require a copy of your insurance schedule to keep with your pet’s records.
Once we have the Insurance schedule and can confirm your pet is covered, we are happy to do a direct claim. Please bring your signed claim form with you at the time of collection. You will be expected to pay any excess at this time.
General (Dog/Cat)
When your pet has had an anaesthetic, they may be drowsy for the following 48 hours. The anaesthetic will be injected into a vein in his/her front leg and a small area of fur may have been clipped. There may be a bandage on a front leg where the catheter was placed–please remove this within a few hours of getting home. Please offer your pet a bland meal of Hills I/D or chicken and rice if he/she prefers. It is not unusual for occasional vomiting to occur following an anaesthetic. However, if vomiting is frequent or continues for longer than 12 hours, please contact us for advice.
If your pet has a wound:
It is advisable to keep cats indoors until sutures are removed and to restrict dogs to short walks on the lead. Please try to keep your pet as quiet as possible during this post-operative recovery period. If you notice any swelling or redness around your pet’s wound, please contact us for advice. If your pet licks the wound excessively, it may be necessary to purchase a medical pet shirt or elizabethan (“buster”) collar to prevent early removal of the sutures and the need for re-suturing. Please contact the surgery if you feel you need a medical pet shirt, collar or have any other concerns.
Our nurses and vets will have given you instructions on when we would like to see your pet again, this is usually 3 days after the operation and then again 7 days later for sutures out.
Additional costs
After most routine operations, patients recover uneventfully and there will usually be no further charge after the initial payment. We do not charge for post-operative check-ups and suture removal. However, sometimes the animal’s natural instinct to clean its own wound and occasionally take its own sutures out may cause an infection. Further treatment may then become necessary and will not be covered in the original costs.
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Lungworm (known as Angiostrongylus vasorum) is a parasitic worm dogs and foxes can carry.
The lungworm parasite lives in the heart and blood vessels of an infected animal where it lays eggs that get carried to the lungs.
If your dog becomes infected, it can cause series problems and can prove fatal.
Slugs and snails carry the lungworm parasite. If your dog ingests a snail or slug, it can become infected; the slime trail can also be enough to infect them. Although the disease cannot be passed from dog to dog, infected dogs still pose a risk. Larvae pass into their faeces which can then come into contact with slugs and snails, spreading the disease more rapidly.
Signs of lungworm can often be vague but can include:
Diagnosing Lungworm can be difficult, however we offer blood testing for lungworm along with chest x-rays if required.
If you think your dog is infected please contact the Practices.
Treating lungworm is relatively simple and requires a regular monthly treatment of anti-parasite treatment (wormers.)
Simply, yes!
We recommend monthly worming treatment to protect your dog from lungworm and other parasitic worms and fleas.
Always pick up and dispose of your dog’s poo.
Want to see what we have planned this summer?
Take a look at our Summer newsletter to find out!
StKittsSum19
This March St Kitts Veterinary Group shall be running a VACCINATION AMNESTY!
Is your pet overdue its annual booster?
Why not book an appointment to re-start your pet’s vaccination this March?
You get the full vaccination course for the simple cost of a booster – £42.50!
Don’t miss out! Book your appointment today!
February is dental awareness month at St Kitts Veterinary Group.
We are offering
*A FREE dental check with a nurse….
*10% off a dental scale and polish.
Why not pop in and book your appointment today?
