Dealing with cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy in dogs

Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) is a disease of dogs, first reported in racing greyhounds in the USA during the 1980s. The disease causes erosive to ulcerative skin lesions, predominantly affecting the limbs, ventrum and oral cavity; however, a proportion of dogs develop more severe systemic abnormalities, including thrombocytopenia, anaemia and acute kidney injury. The disease was first reported in the UK in 2000, in a single pet greyhound. Since 2012, over 160 cases of CRGV have been confirmed in a wide range of dog breeds; no age or bodyweight predilection has been identified. To date, the cause of CRGV in dogs remains unknown. This article provides a review of the history and clinical signs and advises practitioners on the current approaches to dealing with the condition.