THE first case of a disease, which can be deadly for dogs, has been confirmed in Powys, at Presteigne.

Vets say that 2017 was officially the UK’s worst year for cases of 'Alabama Rot', after the number of confirmed cases almost doubled compared to 2016.

Eight new cases from December, and two in January 2018, have just been confirmed by Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, taking the total number of cases in 2017 to 37.

There have now been 122 cases in the UK since the disease was first detected in 2012.

The 10 new cases include one at Presteigne, with Powys a new county to have a case of Alabama Rot confirmed.

David Walker, the UK’s leading expert on the condition, from Anderson Moores, said: “We are sad to announce eight more cases from 2017, making it the worst year so far for cases of Alabama Rot.

“With two cases in 2018 already, it is understandably very worrying for dog owners, but we hope the increase in cases is partially due to a higher awareness and understanding of the disease.

“Although the figures have almost doubled since 2016, it is important that dog owners remain calm, but vigilant for signs of the disease, particularly over the coming months, as we are now in the peak season for cases of the disease.

“The first sign of the disease that is normally seen is a skin sore that isn’t caused by a known injury. Most commonly these sores are found on the lower half of the leg and appear as a distinct swelling, a patch of red skin or are open and ulcer-like.

“While there is currently no known way to prevent a dog from contracting the disease, any concerned dog owners should visit www.vets4pets.com/stop-alabama-rot/ for advice and a map of confirmed cases.”

Following the first Alabama Rot conference in May 2017, the first stage of research was planned, with funding from the New Forest Dog Owners Group and the charity Stop Alabama Rot.

Dr Kim Stevens of the Royal Veterinary College, who is carrying out the research, is hoping to have the results of her work published in March.

She said: “This research will not identify the specific cause of the disease, but is designed to look for geographical patterns, as well as environmental and climatic risk factors.

“An obvious pattern that we can see is linked to seasons, with the vast majority of cases occurring between November and March, and limited cases over the summer.

“We hope our ongoing research with Anderson Moores and the work that Vets4Pets are doing will take us closer to finding the cause of this nasty disease.”

The 122 cases of Alabama Rot, clinically known as idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), are spread across 32 counties in the UK. The highest number of confirmed cases have been in Greater Manchester, Dorset and the New Forest in Hampshire.

Dr Huw Stacey, vet and director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, has been supporting research on the condition for a number of years, and is advising dog owners to contact their vet if they have any concerns.

He said: “While it is understandable that dog owners will be worried by this increase in confirmed cases, Alabama Rot is still a very rare disease and we’d encourage owners to continue exercising their pet.

“Unlike the Alabama Rot that affected greyhounds in America, the disease in the UK does not seem to target any specific breed, age, sex or weight of dog.

“Treatment is supportive, but is only successful in around 20 percent of cases, which is why we’re encouraging all dog owners to use the online interactive guide to help them understand the clinical signs and confirmed locations of the condition."