Alabama Rot

[Guest myboymarty]

We lost our beautiful boy Marty, to what the vet thinks is Alabama Rot. Has anyone else dealt with this. Where can I find more information on this? Are there any vets knowledgeable about Alabama Rot?

Marty had swollen legs, front left - right hind. Hind leg was raw with bruising and open bloody sores

Problems with his blood clotting

Bruising over his entire body

Fever of 107 - brought down to 102.5 and then back up to 106

Problems with his kidney & liver

EXTREMELY painful

 

This all happened in less than one week. Marty passed away after receiving a blood transfusion. This was the last resort after different medications and procedures were tried.

I don't want any other dog to ever have to suffer like Marty did.

[Houndtime]

I am so sorry for your loss.

[heartdogs]

I had friends that were breeders a few years ago that lost seveal dogs to this. It was terrible & nothing the vets tried woed. I'm sorry to see you had he same results.

Edited May 16, 2012 by heartdogs

[grey14me]

Oh how awful. I am just so sorry!

[Guest kellygreyhound]

Just expressing my sympathy--so sorry that you and your poor boy suffered so much.

[Charlies_Dad]

No experience thankfully but am truly sorry for your loss.

[MP_the4pack]

I wish I had knowledge, but I don't. I am so very sorry for your loss.

[Guest twoskinnydogs]

So sorry for your loss! I do know that it is a strain of e. coli that is found just about anywhere.

 

This article is a little old but still has good info

 

Mysterious greyhound disease yielding to KSU investigations

 

By Kay Garrett

 

Though first seen at southem race tracks, Alabama rot is no respecter of state lines, afflicting racing greyhounds from Wisconsin to Florida.

Severe skin lesions and kidney failure characterize the mystery illness with no known cause or cure. lt's severe enough that owners most often euthanize a sick dog partly out of frustration at the stubbom disease and partly out of fear to protect other dogs.

 

Veterinary researchers at Kansas State University, given a rare opportunity "to pull out all the stops" to study a small animal disease, now say with confidence that dogs can recover from a bout of Alabama rot and perhaps live to race again.

They've also discovered that Alabama rot closely minics a hurnan disease of adolescents, hemolytic urenic syndrome, for which no acceptable experimental animal rnodel is available. The syndrome in humans is sometimes the result of severe bouts of food poisoning and during the last few months it has become a significant concem.

 

ln the past year, two dozen sick greyhounds from all over the nation have been referred to the K-State veterinary clinics for observation and care. Several dogs that were seen soon enough have been returned to their owners, said Brad Fenwick, the principal investigator, an associate professor of pathology and microbiololy.

The research team received $25,000 from the American Greyhound Council and more than $100,000 from the Kansas Racing Commission to study Alabama rot. The grant has paid for transporting dogs to Manhattan, Kan., and for all aspects of their medical care, at an average cost of $3,500 per animal.

"The funding has enabled us to take a clinical approach similar to the one human medicine takes in the face of an unknown disease, AIDS for exanple. That is, treat the symptoms with every tool available," he said. "We've taken cultures and biopsies, run all the sophisticated diagnostic lab tests and tried various treatment regimes.

"Consequently, though we don't know its causative agent yet, we know a great deal more about this illness now. lt appears to be an infectious but not a contagious disease. So, if one dog in a kennel is sick, the owner or trainer doesn't need to worry about other dogs contracting the illness," Fenwick said.

"Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs have no recognizable effect, but the good news is the dogs respond to supportive nursing care," he said.

That care would include kidney dialysis until the kidneys return to normal functioning, and there is good reason to believe they will," he said. The better the nursing care, the better the animal's chances are of going home well."

 

He continued: 'Some agent, we don't know exactly what yet, causes the cell lining of the blood vessels to die, but the resulting lesions appear to be reversible. And we're beginning to have some suspicions about the possible agent that's killing the cells."

Co-investigators with Fenwick are veterinary clinician Laine Cowan and research pathologist Donna Hertzky. The team is collaborating with a pediatric kidney specialist at the University of Kansas Medical Center who routinely handles children with hemolytic uremic syndrome.

"We've felt very honored to have received support for this study because there's been very little research fundng for diseases of small animals. Now it looks like we may also contribute to a better understanding of a human disease as a result," he said.

Fenwick's research also is supported by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

 

Sorry I ment to include this more recent article, it lists side effects also:

 

"Idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular disease (“Alabama rot”) is a rare disease that can be seen in Greyhounds. Should your Greyhound develop ulcerative lesions on their legs (rear>front) this condition should be considered. It can be potentially fatal as 25% of Greyhounds will develop kidney failure with this condition. There is no specific treatment for this disease. Recovery should occur in two to three weeks in Greyhounds with no kidney damage. This condition is very rare. " This information is from Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, Inc. by William E. Feeman III, DVM.

[maryz]

I am so very sorry. What a horrible ordeal for you and Marty.

[Guest masa]

I am so sorry for your loss.

[Greydawg]

How awful. I am so sorry for your tragic loss.

[EllenEveBaz]

I'm so sorry for Marty and you.

 

<<lt appears to be an infectious but not a contagious disease.>>

What does this mean?

[JJNg]

<<lt appears to be an infectious but not a contagious disease.>>

What does this mean?

It means the disease is caused by an infectious agent (like a virus or bacteria), but it is not directly transmissible to other individuals (ie. contagious). This usually means that there is some interaction between the infectious agent and the host (sick individual) that results in the illness, and others that are exposed don't tend to get sick.

[fliggie]

:f_pink

[Guest goofydog]

I am so sorry for your loss. Godspeed Marty.

 

I have emailed onrushpam the link to this thread. She and Glen nursed Extra Ranch, aka Ranchie, through this horrid disease.

[onrushpam]

Actually, Ranch did not have Alabama Rot, but a similar infectious disease. Our vets consulted with Dr. Fenwick (quoted in the article above). Dr. Fenwick is probably the leading expert on Alabama Rot. He told us there has not been a documented case of it in more than a decade. But, it doesn't really matter what you call it, the symptoms and treatment are the same.

 

We've nursed at least a dozen dogs through infections like this. All except Ranch survived. I'm not sure why, except that our vets were very aggressive with treatment, especially with the use of IV fluids to ward off renal damage. They also prescribed a heavy-duty "cocktail" of antibiotics, combined with prednisone.

 

I'm so sorry you lost your boy!

[carronstar]

I am so very sorry for your sudden, tragic loss.

Godspeed, Marty.