05/22/2024
🐾💉Canine Leptospirosis💉🐾
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that causes serious illness in dogs, other animals, and people. The disease is caused by spiral-shaped bacteria called leptospires that live in water or warm, wet soil.
Initial signs of leptospirosis include fever, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Left untreated, it can develop into a more severe, life-threatening illness that affects the kidneys, liver, brain, lungs, and heart.
TRANSMISSION
Transmission of leptospirosis can occur through direct contact or indirectly through environmental exposure.
• Leptospires enter the body through mucous membranes in the mouth, eyes, or nose, or through abraded or water-softened skin.
• Leptospires multiply in a host animal’s bloodstream.
• Leptospires move from the bloodstream to the kidneys and other tissues to continue reproducing.
• Leptospires pass from the kidneys into the urine; then are shed back into the environment.
• Other dogs, wild animals, or people can become infected through direct or indirect contact.
CLINICAL SIGNS
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Anorexia
• Depression
• Acute renal failure
• Jaundice
• Abdominal discomfort
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Blood in urine is uncommon, but may occur
• Respiratory distress
DOGS AT RISK
Dogs at risk for developing leptospirosis include those with:
• Access to ponds, lakes, streams, or standing water
• Exposure to urine from other infected animals, including:
• Other dogs in shelters or other pet care facilities
• Wildlife (e.g. rodents, racoons, opossum, deer), either through direct contact with urine or through contaminated water
SPREADING DISEASE
• Infected dogs can enter a carrier state
• Organisms may persist in the kidney and be shed in the urine for weeks to months
• Other dogs, wild animals, and humans can become infected from direct or indirect contact with these leptospires that were shed into the environment
All dogs who go outside in Colorado should be vaccinated for Leptospirosis annually. If there are any concerns about whether or not your dog should get this vaccine, please call our front desk at (303) 798-3447! 🐾
