Keep a watch
‘Lepto’ could be lying in wait for your dog!
by Robert Urano
L
eptospira bacteria run free in summer, carried by squirrels, raccoons and other wildlife. Dogs
can pick them up by contaminated water, or through a break in the skin. As summer approaches, dogs and
their owners look forward to spending time outdoors exploring the neighbor- hood, visiting parks and campgrounds and traveling to various vacation spots. All this outdoor activity, while fun and healthful, leads to a greater susceptibili- ty to many bacterial and viral infections. Canine leptospirosis, lepto for short,
is a bacterial infection having over 20 different strains. Eight of these are harmful to dogs, people and some other animals and are capable of producing varying degrees of illness.
Obtained from wild life Leptospira bacteria are carried by
wildlife such as squirrels, raccoons, skunks and rats. These infected animals
34 SUMMER 2013
shed the bacteria in their urine; domes- tic pets can become infected by sniffing this urine or by drinking contaminated water. Dogs can also pick up the bacteria through a cut or break in the skin. The bacteria are most common in warm, humid weather when there are plenty of puddles and run-off water. Although these bacteria have been
around since ancient times, the number of leptospirosis cases is increasing, not only because we have better diagnostic techniques but also because our pets come into closer contact with wildlife as we encroach upon their natural habitats. Once Leptospira bacteria enter the
body, they spread to many types of tissues. Dogs with healthy immune systems may successfully battle the infection. They might manifest only mild symptoms such as a slight fever, decreased appetite and diarrhea, or show no symptoms at all. However, the
bacteria remain in the kidneys for some time and can be released in the urine for many months. Thus, even if a pet does not appear ill it may still inadvertently infect other animals. If the bacteria aggressively multiply,
damage to health can be severe. The three main forms of the disease are renal failure caused by infection in the kidneys, jaundice caused by infection in the liver and hemorrhaging caused by infection in the blood. While all three forms are treatable and curable they are also potentially fatal if left untreated. Since fever, loss of appetite, lethargy can be signs of any number of ailments, if these conditions persist for more than
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