Leptospirosis: prevention is better

“Nola didn’t want to eat anymore and then she started vomiting. At first we thought she ate something she shouldn’t have, but she was lethargic and turned yellow. Then it went downhill really fast. I took her to the vet, who suspected lepto and we rushed her to the ER.” This is the story of our veterinary technician Bailey’s eight month old puppy Nola. “She tested positive for lepto, and she was really down and out. They started giving her fluids and antibiotics, but the emergency hospital called us in the middle of the night: Nola was struggling to breathe and the doctors recommended euthanizing her.”

“My other dog Harley started showing signs right after Nola passed. We rushed her to the ER too. She was on antibiotics and fluids for a few days, and although her numbers were improving, it was clear that she wasn’t going to have the quality of life that we wanted for her, as the lepto had severely affected her kidneys. We had to let her go too. Then Shadow, our third dog, tested positive for lepto too, but he wasn’t showing any symptoms so we believe we caught the infection early. He was treated and was the only one that survived.”

Very contagious

Bailey thinks that her dogs got leptospirosis from the dog park and then infected each other since lepto is very contagious. She wasn’t aware that there was a vaccine against lepto. “After that had happened, I vaccinated all my dogs and started telling people about it.”

Kidney and liver failure

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by infection with the Leptospira bacteria. This bacteria is found in soil and water all over the US. It is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can spread from animals to humans and from humans to animals. Infection in people, like in dogs, can cause liver or kidney disease and death. Symptoms of leptospirosis in dogs are non-specific and may include:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Shivering
• Reluctance to move
• Changes in the frequency or amount of urination
• Increased thirst
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes)
• Inflammation in the eyes

Lepto can cause kidney and liver failure. Dogs may develop severe lung disease and have difficulty breathing. Many dogs don’t survive leptospirosis.

Prevention is better

Leptospirosis is generally treated with antibiotics and supportive care. When treated early and aggressively, the chances of survival are good, but there is always a risk of permanent kidney or liver damage. Prevention is much simpler than treatment, and currently available vaccines effectively prevent leptospirosis and protect your dog for a year.

Booster once a year

Annual vaccination is recommended for all dogs. After the first vaccine, your dog will need a booster in three to four weeks. Your dog should then receive a booster once a year. Other things you can you do to prevent your dog from a leptospirosis infection (even after they have been vaccinated):

• Prevent access to standing water
• Prevent exposure to rodent urine and feces
• Avoid contact with wildlife

Bailey and her family are happy that Shadow (in the picture) survived. “He is almost eight years old now, gets his lepto vaccine every year and he’s thriving!”