Leptospirosis (LEPTO)-
an important infectious disease to prevent.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that causes severe kidney and liver disease. This disease is caused by a group of bacteria called Leptospira sp. This group of bacteria are spiral shaped organisms that are excreted in the urine of an infected animal. There are currently 8 active strains that have been known to cause disease in our area. The good news is that there are vaccines available that will aid in the prevention of this disease.
Pets become infected by these bacteria through abraded skin or mucous membranes coming in contact with urine, or water that has been contaminated by urine. The water becomes contaminated when an infected animal urinates in it, or run off waters collect in a pool/puddle/pond or lake. Dogs can also contract the disease by drinking contaminated water or ingesting deceased, infected wildlife. The species of animals known to suffer from, and therefore have the ability to transmit leptospirosis, are rats, raccoons, dogs, deer, skunks, squirrels, opossums and most importantly humans! Once the bacteria enter the bloodstream it settles in the kidneys and replicates. This leads to kidney inflammation and eventually kidney failure. Other organ systems that can be affected are the liver, joints, and eyes. Younger pets seem to be more severely affected than older pets and the fall season (in New York) seems to be the most common time for cases to be diagnosed.
The symptoms, or clinical signs, of this disease are wide spread and can vary depending on which organ system is most affected. They include fever, depression, decreased appetite, joint pain, nausea, excessive thirst, jaundice, weight loss, sensitivity to light, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Most of the time the clinical signs of this disease are profound and the pets are severely ill. Occasionally there can be a more subtle chronic illness, depending on where the bacteria colonize and the amount of bacteria in the body. All dogs are at risk for this disease since it is normal for dogs to ingest grass and to drink from outside water sources. The dogs that are at most risk are ones that are drinking, playing or working in streams, ponds and lakes. (ie. hunting dogs or dogs that hike with their owners, even dogs that frequent dog parks).
Diagnosis of the disease is achieved by identifying abnormalities in blood work which typically is an elevation in kidney values (Blood Urea Nitrogen-BUN, and Creatinine) coupled with or sometimes without elevations in liver values (Alkaline Phosphatase- ALP, Alanine Amino transferase- ALT, Bilirubin- TBili), and decreased albumin. If changes that are consistent with Leptospirosis are found on blood chemistry then Leptospirosis titers are sent to the lab. This is a test that measures the antibody response to the different strains of the bacteria. We run titer tests 2 times usually 3-4 weeks apart to see if the titers are rising. If the titer rises it means the body is actively fighting the Leptospirosis infection.
Treatment of Leptospirosis involves the use of very common antibiotics. Thankfully Leptospira bacteria are sensitive to the effects of penicillin (amoxicillin) and doxycycline. The remainder of the therapy is geared towards strong supportive therapy to reduce the damage done to kidneys. Most dogs need to be hospitalized and treated with intravenous fluids and medication to control nausea. Once a pet begins to eat again, liver protective medication is added to the protocol. The treatment is continued until the blood values hopefully come down to normal. Most affected dogs will be hospitalized for a few days with at home therapy being continued for usually a month to 6 weeks. There are some patients that will have permanent damage to the kidneys which may act to shorten a dog's life span. Unfortunately there are some very severe cases of Leptospirosis that will cause a dog's death within a few days of the infection. If a dog ingests a large amount of the bacteria, or the bacteria replicates quickly in their body, they can die before antibiotics have a chance to get the infection under control. This disease can be very devastating.
The 2 major levels of prevention of this disease are vaccines and limiting the dog's exposure to the organism. Vaccines are available to prevent 4 of the 8 strains in the environment. There is still controversy if there is cross protection for the other active leptospirosis strains. The vaccines that are available for this disease have been greatly improved over the last few years which have made them much safer. Historically Leptospirosis vaccines have caused a lot of allergic type reactions. The current vaccines are now produced by using only the surface proteins from the bacteria as opposed to the use of the entire bacteria. This has made allergic type reactions less prominent. Since allergic reactions can still occur with this vaccine, veterinarians prefer to give it as a single vaccine and don't like to give it the same day as other vaccines if possible. The vaccine is given as 2 doses 1 month apart then repeated yearly. The immunity from the vaccine lasts for only 1 year so it does need to be repeated annually.
Leptospirosis is a preventable and treatable disease. This disease can be deadly especially if not diagnosed early in the infectious process. Nature has challenged veterinary medicine to come up with ways to prevent all of the current strains of the bacteria. At this time the best thing we can do to prevent this disease is to manage where our pets are playing, and working and to vaccinate those pets that can tolerate the vaccine. Speak with your veterinarian and discuss your pet's lifestyle and whether the vaccine is appropriate for your own pet.
Q and A
Why does it seem more likely for a younger dog to contract LEPTO than an older dog?
We're not sure why younger dogs are more affected (1- 6years) We think it may be the lifestyle of the younger dog. They are more likely to be running around drinking out of puddles, ponds etc. or possibly more curious. Working dogs used for hunting or search and rescue for instance definitely are at risk, while puppies are less likely to contract it possibly because they are more closely managed.
What is the prevalence of LEPTO in our general wildlife population here on LI?
I don't think anyone has studied the prevalence of leptospirosis in the local wildlife population.
Do cats suffer from LEPTO?
It has not been diagnosed in cats. We are sure if they get it. We don't think they do.
Can a dog be a carrier of LEPTO and have NO symptoms?
Yes, we believe a carrier dog can be asymptomatic. Well, they are not really carrier dogs, they contract the disease and shed it for a while then recover from the infection and stop shedding.
Is LEPTO only passed in the urine of infected animals?
Primarily urine but there has been some thought that early in the bacteremia it might be transferable in saliva.
Will dogs infected with LEPTO develop immunity to the disease?
No lifetime immunity, even if they almost die from the disease.
People are concerned about giving this vaccine to their dog since there have been reactions to it. How is this vaccine different than other vaccines?
This vaccine is no different than any other vaccine except that it is a bacterin. Meaning it is made from the bacteria instead of a virus. The newer vaccines are made from just the surface proteins instead of the entire bacteria and therefore there have been fewer reactions. This vaccine causes more reactions than some other vaccines, but better than before.
Can humans contract LEPTO from their dog if the dog is infected?
Yes! In veterinary medicine workers are very concerned about contracting the disease when cleaning up after a patient suffering from the disease. Most dogs that are hospitalized for leptospirosis are placed in an isolation ward. Owners also have to be careful sanitizing the living area in a house where an infected dog may have urinated. Bleach does kill the bacteria.
How would humans contract this disease?
Humans can get walking in streams if they have any abrasions on the skin of feet or legs. There is a report about numerous tri-athletes contracting the disease swimming in a contaminated lake during a race.
What are the symptoms of LEPTO in humans?
I really don't know the clinical disease in humans I believe it is the same as dogs, but I'm not sure.
Are beaches and salt water areas safer than fresh water streams and ponds?
Salt water is not a concern. Leptospirosis does not grow in salt water. Salt water has it's own issues if it is ingested by a dog.
Can a dog recover from LEPTO without medical intervention?
We do think some dogs get it and fight it off. I have seen some titers that are questionable meaning a dog may have been exposed. We usually put those dogs on antibiotics just to be careful. Especially since the antibiotic is easy and has minimal side effects, and the disease can be deadly.
How many dogs here on LI have had LEPTO in the past year?
I can't say this disease is extremely common. Since this is not a reportable disease (reportable to the federal government) there is no way to truly track the number of cases on Long Island. Most area veterinarians probably see 2-5 cases a year. I haven't diagnosed a case this year.
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Dr. Ellen Leonhardt
Animal General
East Norwich
(516) 624-7500
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