The Sunday Telegraph today features Alabama Rot on its front page. There was a scare last year and an increase of cases on the New Forest. So called cos it (allegedly) started in Alabama, its provenance is unknown but people are warned to stay out of the mud when walking dogs and to keep to dry paths - Some chance ! We are warned to wash our dogs feet because the first manifestation is usually cuts or lesions on the feet. Whateveritis spreads to the kidneys, by which time it is usually too late. 80% of dogs who contract the disease, die within a few days.
So far there have been no cases reported in the woods where I run my dogs but as a precaution, I do wash feet because that gives me a chance to check for damage.
Do take care - and not only in UK
Scary stuff! We've reportedly had a couple of cases up here but I noticed that there seemed to be a cluster of cases in the South Wales area. Very worrying 
If you google Alabama Rot UK Maps you can see the spread. There have been four instances within 20 miles of me. The main map site sends you to another veterinary website with a better updated map.
Correspondents tell me it is pretty wide spread across Europe but I haven't heard of it in USA - not even in Alabama !
