Heartbroken woman's warning to other dog owners after nine-month-old Border Collie dies from Alabama Rot

Meg was only nine months old when she had to be put to sleep after contracting Alabama Rot.

A heartbroken dog owner from Bridgend has issued a warning to others after her nine-month-old Collie died from a fatal but rare disease, Alabama Rot.

Sarah Morris' blue merle Border Collie, Meg, fell ill and died within the space of a week.

While the cause of Alabama Rot remains unknown, it is a disease which damages the blood vessels in the skin and kidneys. It causes blood clots and severe organ dysfunction.

Ms Morris owns a farm in Merthyr Mawr and said apart from there, the only areas the dog had been walked was through the village onto the Merthyr Mawr sand dunes and beach.

It is unclear where the dog contracted the deadly disease but Ms Morris does not believe it was at the farm as her other dogs have not fallen ill.

It was only after Meg was put to sleep that vets confirmed Meg had contracted Alabama Rot.

Ms Morris described how she first noticed Meg was ill when the dog's walking began to be affected.

She said: "She would be limping and I would take her in for the day and she would be fine. Then I noticed her paw was very swollen.

"The vets operated on her the next day to see if there was anything in the paw."She was just getting worse and worse, she was off her food, she wouldn't eat and she was vomiting. When dogs are about to die they run away and on the last morning before I took her to the vets again she was running away from me, she was very sick."Meg stayed at the vets for several days during that last visit but on the fourth day, she suffered a seizure. At that point it was decided nothing further could be done to help the young dog and Meg was put to sleep.

One of Meg's kidneys was sent away to veterinary specialists who confirmed she had contracted Alabama Rot, officially called CRGV.There is no cure for the diseases as the cause is unknown. Alabama Rot can ultimately cause organ failures.

Symptoms include unexplained redness, sores or swelling of the skin, vomiting, reduced appetite, and tiredness caused by kidney failure.

The disease is rare and there have only been a few hundred cases in the UK since it was official recognised in 2012. The RSPCA said most cases are reported during the winter and spring.

Other dog owners are urged to go to a vets if their pet develops any unexplained sores, particularly if the dog is also vomiting. Credit: PA Images

Ms Morris now wants to warn other dog owners to look out for symptoms of Alabama Rot and to take care if they see their dog limping.She said: "She [was] limping on and off, she had a very swollen paw, later she was vomiting and off her food. It's all the signs people have to watch our for."If they have any lesions be very, very careful. If your dog is limping don't take them for a walk until they are healed."In a statement posted on their Facebook page, Maes Glas Vets said: "We are sorry to announce another confirmed case of Alabama Rot (or CRGV) this time from Merthyr Mawr. This disease of unknown origin causes skin lesions which can then progress to severe kidney disease."Very little is currently know about what triggers or causes the disease and so it is difficult to give specific advice about prevention."This specific dog was only walked around Merthyr Mawr and the dunes."Please remember this is an extremely rare disease, with less than 280 cases reported in the UK in the last five years. The vast majority of skin lesions will have a benign explanation such as a cut, bite or sting."However, if your dog develops unexplained sores on their skin (particularly on the paws, legs or face) please seek veterinary advice; even more so if your dog is unwell (eg lethargic, vomiting, not wanting to eat)."