Vaccine Spotlight: Leptospirosis

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There are many virus and bacterial infections we vaccinate our pets against. I thought we would take a look at a few of these conditions and why we recommend vaccines. We will first look at Leptospirosis. This is a bacteria that can affect both humans and animals. There are several different ways animals can become infected. These include exposure to contaminated water sources, soil or an area that has urine from another affected animal. Urine from affected animals can become a major problem in cities where the rodent population can at times become large so exposure can be more likely. This website has some great information on different routes of exposure for us and our pets.

 

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There are a variety of symptoms that can be associated with Leptospirosis. These can range from mild such as decreased appetite, soreness in muscles or fever to more severe such as yellowing of mucous membranes and skin. The good news is we can treat leptospirosis. Since it is a bacteria there are antibiotics that can be used to assist treatment. Some animals can become quite sick and may have to be hospitalized in intensive care. If left untreated or a diagnosis is not readily made some animals may not make it through treatment.

 

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Prevention is one of the best ways we can help our pets avoid contracting this bacteria. One way is to vaccinate dogs against this condition; there are currently no approved vaccines on the market for cats. This vaccine is recommended yearly for animals at risk for exposure. While no vaccine is perfect, especially since there are many different strains of this particular bacterium, it certainly can help decrease the risk posed to your pet. This particular vaccine has been known to cause vaccine reactions in some animals so if this occurs it is important to work with your veterinarian to determine your pet’s risk factors and a safe protocol.  Another way to promote prevention is to keep away from areas rodents may congregate.

 

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Since this bacteria does pose a risk to humans the CDC (center for disease control) has a great website and fact sheet on Leptospirosis. It can be found here. Additional information can also be found at this website. As always if you have any specific questions or want more information please feel free to contact us or your veterinarian.