A GRIEVING dog owner has revealed how his beloved pet was killed by a deadly disease as a warning to fellow owners.

Eddie the Hungarian Vizsla, in West Wellow, was taken ill with Alabama Rot on December 28 and put down just five days later on January 2 before his second birthday.

Eddie’s owners Chris and Neasha Pitfield are hoping to use their loss to alert other dog lovers to the dangers and symptoms of Alabama Rot, also known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV).

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The rare disease attacks the kidneys of dogs and can affect all breeds, ages and weights. There have been 292 confirmed cases since the illness was discovered in the UK in 2012.

Chris and Neasha first realized something was wrong when Eddie was acting out of character and had a puncture mark on one of his paws before a light rash on his chest appeared.

The local vets initially suspected an infected wound and prescribed a course of antibiotics. But the next day Eddie grew worse and the vets said they couldn’t rule out Alabama Rot.

Chris said: “They took blood tests to check his kidneys and the results were normal. The next day he seemed to pick up and was playing with his toys, and still had a good appetite.

“Then he was sick twice overnight and had an upset stomach in the morning. We also noticed a couple of small red marks on his tongue. This was the first time he refused his food.

“On New Year’s Day morning, we took him to the emergency vet in Southampton. They took his blood again and this time he had high readings which indicated his kidneys may be failing.”

Eddie was referred to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester who said the condition was almost definitely Alabama Rot.

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Chris added: “That’s when we realised he was fighting for his life.

“The next day his kidneys stopped working. After lengthy conversations with the vets, it was apparent that the only compassionate thing they could do was to put Eddie to sleep. It was absolutely heartbreaking.”

“CRGV is a cruel and aggressive disease. We were aware of it but had no great knowledge. We always thoroughly showered Eddie after his walks and wouldn't let him go into stagnant water, but he still managed to contract it somehow.

“We would urge people to get their dog checked by a vet if they find any sort of wound, blister or rash on their dog, particularly the lower half, and predominantly in the winter months.”

Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists is leading research into the disease which has a 90 per cent mortality rate.

The Winchester vets have launched a dedicated CRGV website to provide information in raising awareness of the disease among dog owners.

Josh Walker, of Anderson Moores, said: “We have been researching CRGV for almost a decade and we have witnessed first-hand the often-devastating effects of the disease.

“There is no known cure and treatment to date largely revolves around the management of the sudden onset of kidney failure. Unfortunately, with our current limited understanding of the disease, this is only successful in around 10 per cent of cases.”

“The aim of our website is to give pet owners as much information including a map of confirmed cases which we believe will also prove useful.”

To view the website go to alabama-rot.co.uk