News You Can Use-Leptospirosis: a life threatening disease hiding in urine!

What is leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is formally known as an anaerobic, gram-negative, spirochete bacteria, but more simplistically known as a bad micro-organism that can cause disease in essentially all mammals. Disease is not limited to our domesticated species, especially the dog, but can also be found in many different wild life species and is found throughout the world. The micro-organism particularly likes warm, moist climates and likes to live in stagnant water. As well, depending on where you are in the world, there are many different sub-types of leptospirosis that can all cause disease.

In our domestic animals, it is more commonly associated with disease in dogs than in cats. However, recent research shows that it may play a greater roll in cats than we suspected up to this point. In animals that carry leptospirosis, the pathogen is shed in the urine. In dogs, the most common route of infection is to come in contact either directly with infected urine, or vegetation, dirt, food or water contaminated with urine. The pathogen then penetrates through intact or cut skin, or directly through mucus membranes. Although it can sometimes cause chronic disease, most animals become acutely ill within 10 days.

Not only is leptospirosis a cause of illness in dogs and possibly cats, it can also infect humans! This is a zoonotic disease and special care should be taken with those animals where infection is suspected. Especially to avoid direct contact with the animal’s urine!

What should I look out for?

What does leptospirosis illness look like in your dog? Leptospirosis can affect many different body systems as it spreads through the body via the bloodstream. Depending on the degree of protection the dog has from its immune system, the severity of illness can differ. However, it is important to look out for signs including: fever, stiff muscles, weakness, vomiting, rapid dehydration, lethargy, drinking and peeing more than usual, a new cough or difficulty breathing. The disease is commonly associated with kidney disease, as the pathogen likes to live and reproduce in the kidneys.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of leptospirosis can sometimes be a difficult one, as multiple tests are needed for a definitive diagnosis. Not only does it require that we see if the host body has developed antibodies to the pathogen, it is also important that we try to find the leptospirosis organism itself within bodily organs and tissues. Interpretation of the antibody tests can become difficult in older animals and those who have previously received the vaccine. Therefore, repeated tests are often necessary. To detect to organism in bodily tissues, highly skilled laboratory workers are needed, and even then there is question about the diagnostic quality.  

Treatment

Due to the difficulty diagnosing this infection, immediate treatment is necessary when it is suspected. If infected with acute clinical signs, the disease can be life threatening. Treatment is limited to supportive care and anti-biotic medications, including hydration therapy to help support the kidneys and other affected organs. The focus is to help prevent dehydration, to provide treatment for any other clinical signs such as anti-nausea and liver support medications and to start the patient on strong, effective antibiotics (doxycycline is most commonly used).

How can I prevent it?

As mentioned previously, there are different types of leptospirosis causing disease in different parts of the world. Right now, there is a vaccine against the subtypes Canicola, Icterohemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, and Pomona as these are most commonly associated with disease. The vaccine is proven to be quite efficacious at helping prevent clinical disease, reduce shedding in the urine, and help prevent invasion of the kidneys. Immunity can last up to 12 months, and so annual repetition of the vaccine is necessary for continued protection. However, it is important to keep in mind that dogs may still become infected with other subtypes even when vaccinated.

Furthermore, extra care can be taken to prevent unvaccinated dogs from being exposed in marshy/muddy areas, ponds, stagnant puddles and to wildlife in general.

Dr. Liske Bruinsma
https://vcahospitals.com/hollywood/primary/team/liske-bruinsma

News you can use: Everything you need to know about Lepto!

What is Lepto?

Leptospirosis is a disease that is caused by the bacteria Leptospira. There are many different strains of this bacteria that can cause disease in dogs. It is most commonly seen in warm climates where it rains regularly, aka Florida, but is found worldwide. Lepto is spread through the urine of infected animals so nearly every dog is at risk. Rodents are the primary reservoir of this bacteria, so if your dog comes into contact with water, soil, grass, basically anything that is contaminated with the urine of rodents or other wildlife they could be infected. The good news…lepto is preventable!

What does Lepto do?

Once the Leptospira bacteria get into the body through contact with the urine of infected animals they enter the bloodstream and invade tissues and organs, commonly settling in the kidneys. This causes acute kidney injury in dogs. Signs of acute kidney injury include lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, and either urinating too much, or not enough. Lepto can also affect the liver and cause acute liver disease. Additional signs you may see include muscle pain, stiffness, diarrhea, fever, edema, and inflammation of the eyes.

Diagnosis

Since the signs of leptospirosis are non-specific your veterinarian may recommend several diagnostic tests to start with, including routine bloodwork, urinalysis, radiographs, and ultrasound. If their suspicion for lepto remains high after routine diagnostics they can send out urine and blood to look for bacterial DNA and antibodies.

Treatment

Leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics and supportive care. Supportive care can include fluid therapy, anti-nausea medications, liver support, and GI protectants. Depending upon the severity of kidney failure, more intensive measures like dialysis may be needed. With early initiation of treatment, the chances of recovery are good but there is still a risk of permanent kidney and liver damage. The risk of permanent damage even with treatment is just one of the reasons why prevention of this disease is key.

Prevention

Leptospirosis is largely preventable with vaccination! The currently available Leptospira vaccines cover multiple serovars and have been shown to provide good clinical protection and reduce bacterial shedding in the urine. Puppies should be vaccinated for lepto starting at 12 weeks old followed by a booster 2 weeks later, and then annually after that. Adult dogs that have never been vaccinated also need the initial vaccine and a 2 week booster. It’s never too late to start vaccinating and protecting your dog!

Reducing exposure to potential sources of Leptospira bacteria is also an important consideration. Preventing your dog from drinking from or swimming in lakes, rivers, ponds, or any standing water, and avoiding contact with wildlife and rodents is always a good idea.

Human Risk

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can be spread from animals to humans. Human leptospirosis most often results from direct contact when swimming recreationally; however, transmission from an infected pet is possible. When lepto is suspected, basic precautions to avoid contact with the dog’s blood and urine are taken. Owners of dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis should contact their physician.

Learn more about

Shilo Gardner, DVM

Tuesday's Tips from our Doctors-Leptospirosis!!!

Tuesday's Tips from our Doctors!

Recently our Doctors asked how they could share some facts about the common (and not so common) things that can affect the health of our pets in S. Florida.  This is what we can up with. Be on the lookout for more Tips from our Doctors and be sure to let us know what other things you would like to know about!

Leptospirosis, a  bacteria which can cause kidney and liver failure, can affect both animals and humans. For many years infection in pets has been rare in Florida; however it has been diagnosed more frequently in recent times. Although the bacteria is found worldwide, the organism tends to live in warm, tropical locations, with high rainfall. Risk factors that increase the spread of this disease include: slow-moving or stagnant water, high rainfall, rodent exposure, roaming animals in rural areas, and urbanized wild animal exposure. It has recently been found that 80% of inner city rats have tested positive for Leptospirosis. Examples of animals that can carry the disease to your pet include squirrels, opossums, rats, and raccoons. It can also cause infection in cows, pigs, horses, and deer amongst other animals. To date, it has been reported to have infected over 150 mammalian species.

The disease is mainly spread through the urine of infected animals. It can live in water and soil for months. Infection may occur through contact with contaminated urine, water, or soil that has come into contact with skin or mucous membranes. It can also be transmitted via bite wounds, infected drinking water and consumption of infected tissue.

Common clinical signs exhibited by animals that have been infected include: anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, increased thirst and urination, abdominal pain, weakness, muscle pain, and yellowing of the mucous membranes. Dogs appear to be infected more severely than cats and occasionally show signs of lung disease and bleeding disorders in addition to the symptoms previously mentioned. Younger pets appear to be more seriously affected than older pets. In acute cases, the survival rate is 80% with aggressive treatment. Treatment often includes multiple days of hospitalization, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids. Some animals require dialysis. Survivors of the disease may have chronic kidney or liver disease. Animals may shed the disease for months after recovery.

As the treatment for this zoonotic disease can be long and quite costly, it is now recommended to vaccinate animals in high risk areas. The vaccine can be given to help prevent clinical disease and development of a carrier state. However, it will not prevent dogs already infected from becoming carriers. Initially, the vaccine is given twice in a three week interval, and is then boostered yearly. Other precautions that can be taken to decrease disease transmission include rodent control, avoidance of contact with reservoir hosts (mentioned above), and proper sanitation and drainage.

Should your pet be diagnosed with leptospirosis, please seek medical advice from your physician immediately and follow the following precautions: 1) encourage your pet to urinate away from areas in which other animals may come into contact with it, 2) use disinfectant to clean soiled indoor areas and wear gloves while doing so, and 3) wash your hand frequently after exposure to your pet or your pet’s excrement.

Taryn Robinette, D.V. M.

University of  Florida, 2013

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread in the urine of infected wildlife including deer, skunks, raccoons, moles and voles. We recommend and have available the Leptospirosis vaccine at Hollywood Animal hospital. It is not a part of our standard vaccine series but we do recommend it and believe it is important for any pet that has access to animal feces and standing water. Call us today at 954-920-3556 for more details about the Leptospirosis vaccine.