Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can affect a number of different types of animals, including dogs, horses, cattle, pigs and rodents. It can also infect people. The disease gets its name from the causative organism, Leptospira interoggans.
How Can My Dog Get Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a contagious disease. It can be passed through body fluids. Exposure to water, soil or food contaminated with urine from an infected animal is the most common route of transmission. Leptospirosis can also be spread through ingestion of tissues infected with the bacteria.
There are many different strains, or serovars, of Leptospira organisms that can cause infection. The most commonly implicated are L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. canicola, L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona.
What Kind of Symptoms Occur with Canine Leptospirosis?
Dogs infected with leptospirosis can suffer damage to the liver or the kidneys. Symptoms seen will be related to either kidney failure or liver failure, or both.
The most common signs of leptospirosis in dogs are:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- lack of appetite
- fever
- depression
- increased thirst
- increased urine volume
- icterus or jaundice (yellow coloration in the gums, skin and the whites of the eyes) resulting from liver failure
- eye disease (anterior uveitis)
- dehydration
Leptospirosis can be quite serious and may even be fatal.
Treatment of Leptospirosis in Dogs
Treatment of leptospirosis involves treatment with antibiotics that help control and kill the bacterial infection. Commonly used antibiotics include the penicillin drugs, such as penicillin, amoxicillin or ampicillin, and the tetracycline drugs, such as doxycycline or tetracycline.
In addition to antibiotics, supportive treatment may also be necessary. Intravenous fluids may be necessary to fight dehydration. Anti-emetics may be needed to fight vomiting and diarrhea. Treatments to limit damage to the kidneys and liver may also be required and must be selected based on the individual animal.
Can Leptospirosis in Dogs Be Prevented?
Controlling rodent populations and preventing your dog from ingesting tissues from potentially infected animals can help prevent your dog from becoming infected with leptospirosis.
Vaccination against leptospirosis is also available and should be considered for those dogs at risk of infection. The leptospirosis vaccines are not recommended for all dogs. Because leptospirosis vaccines tend to be reasonably reactive and have the potential for causing unwanted side effects, an analysis of the risks of vaccination versus the risks of infection is warranted.
For dogs at high risk of infection, choosing the type of vaccine is important also. Some vaccines protect against only two strains of leptospirosis whereas others provide protection against four strains. None of the vaccines provide protection against all possible infections. However, the strains included in the vaccines are the most commonly diagnosed strains.
It is important to remember also that leptospirosis is contagious to people as well. If your dog has been diagnosed with leptospirosis or you suspect your dog may have leptospirosis, you should take precautions to protect yourself and your family.
