06/11/2024
🚨Leptospirosis update🚨
Dr Christine Griebsch from Sydney University’s working group on the NSW leptospirosis outbreak last evening released the latest review on confirmed canine cases for 2024, concurrently with the release of a new vaccine which covers both the copenhageni and australis serovars, which together are responsible for the majority of clinical cases reported this year. Of the 11 confirmed cases, half were fatal.
Of most local interest to us were a case in Bellevue Hill and a September case in Bondi Junction, both caused by the copenhageni serovar, which is the serovar used in our current vaccine.
The australis serovar has been responsible for cases in the southern highlands, Kangaroo Valley and the south coast, so our clients who travel to these areas with their dogs can now be vaccinated with the new vaccine to improve their protection. Patients require two vaccinations initially, 4 weeks apart, then annually, as with the existing vaccine, and we’ll likely be transitioning all of our patients over time, based on their risk profile.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns about upgrading your dog’s leptospirosis protection, and remember to avoid drinking from puddles or outdoor communal water bowls where rats may have urinated and shed the bacteria.
🎨The Dance of the Rats: Ferdinand van Kessel 1690
