Alabama Rot was a new and slightly weird name for a disease we all learned about last week when it struck twice in a matter of days in County Durham.

First Pearl, bought by owner Grant Diehl of Sacriston, had to be put down after catching it. Meanwhile Jonathon Lamb’s 18-month-old dog Bracken developed grazes on his legs after going for a walk around Low Burnhall Woods in County Durham which blood tests revealed was the deadly flesh-eating disease.

Here are other bizarrely name diseases you might not have heard of.

Newcastle disease

Nothing to do with supporting Newcastle United, this disease affects chickens and other captive and wild birds.

As it develops affected birds can cough or sneeze, display nervous signs like tremors, paralysis and twisting of the neck. They can also suffer from depression. Affected hens may also suddenly produce fewer eggs.

Sheep scab

Sheep in a field
Sheep in a field

Sounds unpleasant, is unpleasant. It is caused by mites living in sheep’s fleeces or hair. The mites and their faeces cause intense itching which can lead to sheep rubbing and scratching against fence posts, nibbling and biting at their fleeces.

Affected sheep may also become dull and depressed and stand apart from the rest of the flock.

Schmallenberg virus

It’s a name like a Cold War chemical attack, it is actually spread by midges and affects cattle, sheep and goats. It can cause a brief fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production in cows, and in pregnant animals it can trigger congenital malformations in newborns, often without the mother showing outward signs of illness.

Bluetongue disease

This affects sheep, cows, goats and llamas and is again carried by midges

In sheep the main signs of bluetongue are ulcers in the mouth as well as swelling of the mouth, head and neck and the coronary band.

Cattle are the main carriers of bluetongue. Infected cattle generally do not show any signs of the disease, but occasionally signs can include the swelling of the lips and tongue which gives the tongue its typical blue appearance. In cattle, constant changing of position of the feet gives bluetongue the nickname The Dancing Disease.

Warble fly

Warble fly mainly affects cattle. It can also affect horses and deer.

The main sign of warble fly is large, soft and painful swellings on the back of the animal of up to three millimetres wide. How warble fly is spread

The disease is spread by the warble fly, which lays eggs on the hide of animals.

Aujeszky’s disease

A name to conjure with, it attacks the nervous system and mainly affects pigs although it can also infect cattle, sheep, cats and dogs.

In piglets it leads to shivering, loss of coordination and weak hind legs. The disease is normally fatal for piglets. In adult pigs signs include breathing problems, fever and weight loss.

Other infected animals will have concentrated and intense itchiness. They will lick, rub or chew at the itchy spot. They tend to die within a few days of infection.