Leptospirosis is a disease caused by infection of the Leptospira bacteria that can be found worldwide in soil and water. This waterborne disease is spread when infected carriers such as raccoons, opossums, squirrels, livestock, and rodents urinate in open or standing water. Dogs are most commonly affected because they tend to drink from puddles, rivers, and outdoor areas where there could be contaminated water. The disease can be fatal and is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. However, leptospirosis is a very preventable disease. Don’t let your dogs drink from open water outside and vaccinate your dogs annually with a lepto vaccine from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Warning signs of leptospirosis varies in severity from one dog to the next. Some infected dogs do not show any signs of illness while others develop severe illness that may result in death. Warning signs of leptospirosis may include shivering, muscle tenderness, changes in the frequency or amount of urination, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, jaundice, or painful inflammation within the eyes. Leptospirosis can also cause kidney failure, severe lung disease, bleeding disorders, swollen legs (from fluid accumulation) or excess fluid in the chest or abdomen region.
Prevent your dog from Leptospirosis by either vaccinating your dog at one of our store locations with scheduled VIP Petcare clinics, or by purchasing one of our Durvet Vaccine kits. Keep in mind Durvet’s Spectra 9 and Spectra 10 kits both contain the four most common lepto strains: Lepto grippotyphosa, Lepto pomona, Lepto canicola, and Lepto icterohaemorrhagia.
