Hello-
I am a veterinarian at Friendship Hospital for Animals and given some of the recent posts I thought it might be helpful if I sent out a brief email with information about Leptospirosis. It is an important disease for dog owners to know about and protect their dogs against.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection transmitted by urine of infected animals, common carriers are rats, opossums, skunks, mice and raccoons. The usual scenario is that one of these critters will urinate in a puddle, on wet grass or in some mud. A dog will then come along and drink out of the puddle or step in the urine and lick his paws. In my opinion all dogs in the city should be vaccinated. Even if you don't go to a dog park or Rock Creek Park, dogs can be exposed just walking on the street or playing in your backyard. I think we all know DC has more than its fair share of rats...
This is not a new disease as we diagnose and treat multiple cases every year, it tends to be more prevalent in the fall. Though Lepto can be treated with antibiotics, if the infection is not caught early enough it can permanently damage the kidneys and/or liver, resulting in organ failure. Clinical signs include non-specific flu-like symptoms such as fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. With aggressive therapy consisting of intravenous fluids and antibiotics, dogs usually recover. But in some cases, the disease is too advanced by the time we start treatment and it ends up being fatal.
Historically the vaccine has a bad rap and has been thought to cause more reactions than other vaccines. However this does not seem to be the case with the newer vaccines. I do not hesitate to recommend vaccination for my patients and all of my own dogs are vaccinated. I know that many dog owners, myself included, are concerned about over-vaccinating our pets so I want to reassure you I do not take vaccine recommendations lightly. In my opinion the protection offered by the vaccine against this potentially fatal disease greatly outweighs the minimal chance of reaction.
Historically the vaccine has a bad rap and has been thought to cause more reactions than other vaccines. However this does not seem to be the case with the newer vaccines. I do not hesitate to recommend vaccination for my patients and all of my own dogs are vaccinated. I know that many dog owners, myself included, are concerned about over-vaccinating our pets so I want to reassure you I do not take vaccine recommendations lightly. In my opinion the protection offered by the vaccine against this potentially fatal disease greatly outweighs the minimal chance of reaction.
I hope this helps DC dog owners better understand the risks and clinical signs associated with Leptospirosis, as well as allow you to have a discussion with your veterinarian about vaccination. You can visit my blog www.friendshiptails.com for more information about Lepto and many other helpful topics to keep your dog healthy and happy.
Best-
Ashley Hughes, DVM
Friendship Hospital for Animals
