Author Topic: Alabama Rot  (Read 2609 times)

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Offline julie1

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Alabama Rot
« on: January 18, 2018, 11:40:56 AM »
Morning everyone,
Alabama Rot has come to the Midlands  >:D  The local vet has put out a warning; and a very local dog walking spot has had at least one death.
I have washed Kez's feet with a tea tree oil shampoo & will not walk her on Burbage Common, is there anything else I should do  :shades:
I live in Hinckley Leicestershire, the warning from the vet was about a dog walked in the Sharnford area.
regards from Julie & Kez

Offline David Morgan

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2018, 12:15:53 PM »
Thanks for the wake-up call. The last time I checked, there were no cases within 40 miles of us. Now, there is one just outside the 20 mile zone. It will be everywhere soon.

Is tea tree oil safe on dogs' paws?

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2018, 12:48:30 PM »
Thanks...while not near here, wondered if there is a website that posts outbreaks etc, would be great to know this
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2018, 01:00:04 PM »
Thanks for the wake-up call. The last time I checked, there were no cases within 40 miles of us. Now, there is one just outside the 20 mile zone. It will be everywhere soon.

Is tea tree oil safe on dogs' paws?


I think tea tree products would be ok but I‘d be a bit careful about using neat oil as it can sometimes cause a reaction (OH always comes out in a rash)........

Offline julie1

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2018, 01:03:14 PM »
Thanks...while not near here, wondered if there is a website that posts outbreaks etc, would be great to know this

I agree, lets hope someone knows of one.
regards from Julie & Kez

Offline julie1

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2018, 01:04:44 PM »
I used tea tree DOG shampoo, I would think this would be o.k. ;)
regards from Julie & Kez

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2018, 01:05:41 PM »
Thanks...while not near here, wondered if there is a website that posts outbreaks etc, would be great to know this

I agree, lets hope someone knows of one.

Just googled it and found a website Alabamarot.co.uk where you can check areas.

Offline sodpot2000

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2018, 02:04:19 PM »
Thanks for the tip-off. You can register with the site for updates and alerts. Until I looked at the map I hadn't realised how widespread it had become in the UK

Offline Londongirl

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2018, 03:49:24 PM »
I followed the link to the Vets4Pets map which you can check by postcode. There were several cases confirmed near me (within ten miles) but when I clicked on them, they were all more than two years ago. Also, none had a confirmed area where the dog had been walked and being in London, they may have picked up the disease when visiting elsewhere.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline David Morgan

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2018, 05:04:30 PM »
"I think tea tree products would be ok but I‘d be a bit careful about using neat oil as it can sometimes cause a reaction (OH always comes out in a rash)........"

I wouldn't use any essential oil undiluted on the skin. Better to add to oil (almond) and massage in. However, having the babies spread oily paw-prints all over the floors and furniture may not be the outcome we want. I was mostly concerned about them licking the oils off their feet and getting ill.

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2018, 06:18:52 PM »
Just looked at map and nothing close - but will look often, plus areas where we go away to.
Scary how these things come along
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline its.sme

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2018, 07:01:32 PM »
Here is the link,

http://www.vets4pets.com/stop-alabama-rot/

I wash bea's feet and legs in dilute Hibiscrub.

Offline elaine.e

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2018, 07:20:37 PM »
I'm in the New Forest, which is where the disease was first identified in the UK about 5 years ago, when a small cluster of cases occurred within a few weeks. Because I walk my dogs in the Forest every day I've followed what's happened since then.

This is an extremely rare disease, a fact often forgotten because of the way the press tend to cover it, sometimes sensationalising it. In the 5+ years since it was first identified there has been around 100 confirmed cases in a dog population of more than 8 million. That makes the chances of any one dog contracting it so miniscule that I'm not sure I can do the math to calculate it. A dog is more likely to die of pretty much anything else you can think of than of Alabama Rot.

I'm not belittling the seriousness of it in any way. Just trying to give it some perspective. When it was first identified in the New Forest I learned the symptoms of it and then put it firmly to the back of my mind, knowing how rare it is. Two of the New Forest cases have been in areas where I regularly walk. One was a young Labrador, who recovered, either in spring 2017 or 2016. The other was a dog that sadly died, about two or three years ago.

I don't take any precautions beyond avoiding heavily wooded areas (which is quite easy to do in the New Forest) between about November and May, and rinsing paws off if they're muddy. There's actually no evidence to confirm, or not, that paw washing may help prevent it.

One of the many things not known about it is if it's an emerging disease, or if it's been around for a long time but hadn't been identified until the cluster of cases in the NF prompted investigation. So it's quite possible that the disease has been in the UK for a long time but never identified because of it's rarity. Deaths may have been attributed to other causes or simply recorded as cause not known.

So even though it's worrying when you hear of a case not far from home, please don't worry unduly. Learn the symptoms and if you want to avoid woodland or a localised area where there's been a confirmed case, and wash paws after walks, then do so. But please try not to build it up into a major worry.

Offline MIN

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2018, 07:56:08 PM »
 the Sandringham Estate  around 2009/2010  posted warning notices of a mystery disease affecting  dogs. This outbreak is now put down to Alabama Rot. We walked that estate many times before and after those years until last year. 
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Offline elaine.e

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Re: Alabama Rot
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2018, 10:17:11 PM »
the Sandringham Estate  around 2009/2010  posted warning notices of a mystery disease affecting  dogs. This outbreak is now put down to Alabama Rot. We walked that estate many times before and after those years until last year.
Are you sure about that? I know the Sandringham Estate is one of the areas known to have been affected by Seasonal Canine Illness over the last few years, and that's an entirely different disease to Alabama Rot.

Edited to add. The deaths at Sandringham noted since 2009 have been caused by Seasonal Canine Illness, not Alabama Rot.
http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-display/seasonal_illness.html