A WOMAN has warned fellow dog owners to look out for the signs of Alabama Rot after her pet died from the incurable disease.

Gabrielle Williams, from Magor, was walking her five-year-old whippet cross Italian greyhound, Fleur, in the fields around their farm recently, along with her four other dogs.

Later the same day Fleur was sick, but recovered enough to eat her dinner, said Mrs Williams.

But the following day, Fleur developed a limp and then a large sore was found on her leg.

A trip to her vet followed and within 48 hours Fleur had to be transported to the UK’s Alabama Rot experts, Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, in Winchester, Hampshire.

She had sudden onset kidney failure and, just six days after she first developed the minor limp, she died.

“It all happened so quickly that it felt like a whirlwind, but within a week Fleur had gone from being a happy, healthy dog who enjoyed the freedom of the farm, to no longer being with us,” said Mrs Williams, 34.

“It was such a shock to see her health deteriorate in such a rapid way, but I know the vets did everything they could.

“I’d had Fleur since she was a year old and she quickly became part of the family. Fleur was a fantastic character and losing her has broken my heart.”

There have been 98 cases of Alabama Rot recorded since the disease was first detected in the UK in 2012. The cause is unknown and there is no known way to stop a dog contracting the disease. One of the first signs of disease is skin sores, or skin lesions. If not spotted early enough it can lead to kidney failure.

Visit vets4pets.com/stop-alabama-rot/