A heartbroken dog owner has supported a new campaign aimed to raise awarness of a ‘mysterious and deadly’ disease affecting man’s best friend.

Jon Beal’s rescue spaniel Bruno contracted Alabama rot, also known as CRGV, and passed away about a week later after being taken for a walk in the New Forest.

He said:

“When he became ill, it was both shocking and painful to see him reduced to such a weak animal. In losing Bruno we lost our best friend, and Monty, our other spaniel, grows old without his brother.”

The disease, which first appeared in the States in the late 1980’s affecting only greyhounds, causes ulcer-like skin condition and/or kidney failure. Vets4Pets, based in Oxford, is now pleading dog owners to take extra precautions when taking their pets for walks this spring and summer.

Mr. Beal also wants to do everything in his power to prevent the spread of Alabama rot. Here’s how his pooch died:

“It began with a lesion to his paw, which he was seen for and blood works taken for more information. In three days his condition worsened terribly at which point he was rushed into a specialist medical centre, Anderson Moores, and found to have developed renal failure. This began on a Monday, and he’d died by Saturday.”

After Bruno died in February 2013, warnings were put up in the New Forest and experts have urged people to be extremely careful and pay special attention to their pets.