Leptospirosis

September 1st, 2005

Although most of us do a good job of protecting our pets from preventable infectious diseases with vaccinations, regular veterinary visits, and yearly heartworm testing and prevention, there is one very serious disease that is often overlooked.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can infect many species of animals and can cause very serious health problems in both dogs and humans. Cats are susceptible as well, though often not as severely. Whereas some infectious diseases primarily affect only one body system, leptospirosis can infect numerous organs, including the lungs, heart, eyes, spinal cord, and reproductive organs, but is most known for causing severe kidney and liver failure.

The kidney infection allows the organism to be transmitted in the urine, where it can live for an extremely long time in puddles or moist soil, only to be later picked up by a dog drinking from this puddle. The offending bacteria have many different strains, or serovars. They enter the body through skin disruptions or mucous membranes, such as the mouth, when drinking from a contaminated water source.

After infection, the organism can set up house within the kidney where it may persist chronically with no signs or cause a wide variety of more sudden problems. Affected animals may appear sick within days of infection, with weakness, depression, anorexia, and often have a fever. They may also vomit, have diarrhea, stiffness, bleeding, or difficulty breathing. Often animals may simply be urinating more or less frequently than usual.

As well as causing very serious and life threatening disease in animals, it is additionally important because it can be transmitted to humans. Prevention of exposure to the Leptospira organism and early recognition are the best ways to prevent serious consequences of this disease. Thankfully a vaccine against many of the Leptospirosis serovars exists and is recommended for any dog potentially exposed to this organism. Additionally it is wise to prevent your dog or cat from drinking from sources of standing water or near contaminated soil.

Written by:
By Marcella Goff, DVM
Claremont Animal Hospital, Inc.

Entry Filed under: Pet Pages