It was a routine check-up for a suspected infection which firmly hit the pause button on our lives and dictated emotions never experienced before for 10 painful days.
That was Thursday, February 22, at around midday when I received the worst phone call of my life. Our charming, loving, gentle, lazy and immaculately behaved whippet – Willow – appeared to be in her final hours.
“We can put her to sleep for you now Mr Reynolds, or you can send her to a specialist.”
I’m not an emotional person, but that call had me in tears and knocked me for six.
For days, we had been treating Willow – four-and-a-half years old and still with a life to live – for a nasty wound in her left hind foot.
But the reality was far worse – suspected Alabama Rot. A deadly disease which has only infected 318 dogs in the UK in history with a survival rate of just 10 per cent.
Her situation was critical, and it was made clear every minute would count. Without a car (my vehicle had no engine, and a new car purchased the week before due to be delivered on February 21 broke down en route!), one of our neighbours – Steve – so kindly drove from our home in Lambourn to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists near Southampton via Hungerford.
We were advised there is no place better in the UK for Willow to stand a chance of surviving than Anderson Moores, and it might just be the best advice we’ve ever received.
In only hours, Willow’s renal value – a test which indicates how well a dog’s kidneys are functioning – had jumped from 420 to 580. For context this figure should be between 80-125. We met Joshua Walker – one of the world’s leading vets in curing the uncurable – who braced us for the worst.
And that was it. Off Willow walked for lifesaving treatment. She had a 10 per cent chance of surviving, and even in the best possible scenario of her pulling through we had our financial limits.
What followed was extraordinary, and even writing this now it’s hard to comprehend the progress Willow made in 10 horrendous days – devoid of sleep, appetite and hope.
Despite a major wobble on Friday (February 23) evening with dangerously low urine output, slowly but surely her renal values reduced, her appetite came back and her blood platelets returned to normal levels.
She pulled through, and our miracle girl made an emotional return home on Saturday just gone. She’s not out of the woods, and has severe swelling in her legs and chest which should reduce in time. But the veterinary team at Anderson Moores – Josh, Catarina and Sophie (plus all the other nurses and support staff) – are so pleased with her progress. This outcome is our lottery win, it really is.
Alabama Rot – our experience...
My partner Lil – previously a veterinary nurse – and I knew everything available in the public eye about Alabama Rot before she fell ill.
Despite it being incredibly rare, we did everything in our control to prevent infection – we were just simply desperately unlucky. On that first night, I asked Lil if she was comfortable for Willow’s story to be public.
Primarily, I wanted people in our village to be aware of a potential case and where I had walked with Willow leading up to her first symptoms. But also, I knew not everyone was aware of the disease’s key symptoms – or that Alabama Rot was even a thing.
From our experience, there are several key symptoms to look out for. In order, they are:
- An unexplained limp
This was Willow’s first symptom she picked up on Monday, February 12. We believe it occurred three days after she was infected. It concerned us, as Willow had no reason to be limping. She had an easy weekend exercise wise and hadn’t hurt or knocked herself once.
Lil called it immediately and raised Alabama Rot with our vet. It wasn’t discounted, but for now it would be treated as a routine infection. This limp vanished after four days, and we assumed treatment had worked.
- Sores
On Sunday, February 18, Willow’s foot was badly swollen and doubling in size every hour – no exaggeration. We took her back to the vets, and again raised Alabama Rot as the sore mirrored every photo of the disease you could see online.
Again, Alabama Rot wasn’t discounted, but the sore would continue to be treated as an infection.
- Sickness, lethargic behaviour and reduced urine
Wednesday, February 21
For the first time, Willow was throwing up her food. She became lethargic and would only go for a wee twice a day. Back to the vets where we again raised Alabama Rot. A blood test was booked for the following morning, after which her fight started.
Regarding how Alabama Rot is caught, it’s believed infection is associated with dogs walked in wet, muddy, woodland areas – with almost all cases reported between November and May.
The best an owner can do to prevent it is thoroughly wash down their dogs at the end of a walk – and pay particular attention to cuts and sores on paws which might expose flesh to infection.
Thank you
If there is a positive to take from the last month, it’s the genuine care people have shown.
Financially, we would never be comfortable asking for support. But we’ve had neighbours posting notes through our letterbox, colleagues rounding up donations and people we’ve never met before messaging daily for updates.
We realise there is a criminal lack of awareness and funding to help find a cure for Alabama Rot, so this year we’ll be organising a programme of fundraisers to help support the work of experts like Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, who we owe an awful lot to.
This is a disease which started affecting greyhounds only, but it has now spread worldwide with all breeds at risk of infection – and cases are rising.
A bit of different column from me this time, but one that’s necessary to any dog owner. I hope it’s educational.
You can learn more about Alabama Rot and cases local to you by clicking here.
Take it easy. Shaun.
