Dog-walkers throughout Burton and South Derbyshire have been put on alert after two whippets died and another left seriously ill in an outbreak of the deadly disease Alabama Rot.

The disease damages a dog's blood vessels and kidneys and is notoriously difficult to treat.

The deaths were confirmed by vets at Hartshorne Veterinary Practice on Friday, December 9.

It was later revealed that two dogs died while a third is seriously ill. The whippets all belong to the same owners, who have nine other dogs.

A dog infected with Alabama rot
A dog infected with Alabama rot

The dogs are believed to have been walking in Gorse Lane Fields, towards Boothorpe, shortly before they fell ill and were taken to Hartshorne Veterinary Surgery in Repton Road.

A spokesman for the vets said: "The dogs have all come from the same family, so I can't imagine how they must be feeling right now.

"The only positive is that we have not had anybody else come in with dogs that have contracted the disease. We are really hoping it stays that way because it's a horrible condition."

The Burton area outbreak follows the deaths of three dogs in Cannock in November after they contracted the disease, which is notoriously difficult to treat.

The surgery has issued a warning to dog owners in a bid to prevent further heartbreak.

Gorse Lane, Boothorpe, where a dog was being walked before falling ill with Alabama Rot
Gorse Lane, Boothorpe, Swadlincote, where the dogs were being walked before falling ill with Alabama Rot

A spokesman said: "We would urge owners to avoid walking their dogs in muddy or woodland areas and to make sure that after walking them, they wash their paws, legs and underbelly.

"The dogs should also be checked regularly around those areas and if you see any lesions or any changes, to bring them straight to a vet."

The often fatal disease affects the kidneys, making recovery very difficult. In May 2017, it was reported that 98 dogs had died in the UK due to the condition in five years.

What is Alabama Rot?

It is a disease that causes damage to a dog's blood vessels and kidney. It can be hard to identify and diagnose and even harder to treat.

The disease was first identified in greyhounds in Alabama in the 1980s, hence the name, and is much more common in the US than in the UK.

Since 2012, there have been 98 confirmed, 22 unconfirmed and 35 suspected cases of the disease across the UK.

The first sign of Alabama Rot is skin sores which have not been caused by a physical injury.

They are most commonly found below the knee or elbow or occasionally on the stomach or the face. Usually, this will cause hair loss and the dog will begin licking the wound.

These sores will be followed - between two and seven days later - with symptoms of kidney failure, such as reduced appetite, fatigue and vomiting.

Dogs are more likely to survive the disease if it is diagnosed early, but it is estimated that treatment is only successful in around 20 to 30 per cent of cases.