Leptospirosis . . . why you SHOULD vaccinate for this disease!

Summer the Toy Poodle

In a recent press release, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has changed their recommendations about vaccinating dogs for Leptospirosis. Previously, "lepto" was considered a "non-core" vaccine and only needed for dogs who were at risk of encountering the pathogen. Now, AAHA is recommending that ALL dogs receive vaccinations against leptospirosis, so the designation for lepto has become "Core."

First, what is leptospirosis? Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria from the genus, Leptosprira. These bacteria are spirochetes (spiral shaped) and can cause significant disease in many mammals, including people. Most often, the bacteria will cause acute kidney injury and left untreated, it can cause death. Less common clinical signs might include bleeding disorders, liver issues, or even muscle weakness and tremors. Again, this is an important disease because YOU (pet lover!) can contract this from your dog if you aren't careful.

Orion Indy recovering at the hospital

Next, why the change in status? Previously, leptospirosis was considered to primarily be a disease of hunting dogs or farm dogs . . . any canine living out in rural areas. However, in the late 1990s, veterinary experts noted a shift in the demographics of dogs who presented to veterinary clinics with leptospirosis. Instead of big farm dogs, smaller, toy breed dogs were being impacted. What was happening? The answer was simply that many owners were avoiding leptospirosis vaccines in their dogs because of the perception that they caused more adverse reactions. To some extent, this concern was true, but newer vaccines that are less likely to cause vaccine reactions were already on the market and fewer problems were being noted.

As the AAHA article linked above states, the lack of vaccination across many of our canine friends has led to serious concerns for pups contracting lepto. This disease is endemic across the United States and all dogs are at risk, as well as their owners. Lepto can be found in moist soil or waterways, especially where wild animals might roam and urinate. There is a fun video about lepto here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0R0AJ6vYJY

Look, we know that you don't want to OVER-vaccinate your canine buddy, but this is a potentially serious disease for your pets, your family, and you. Talk to your veterinarian about the benefits of vaccinating against leptospirosis. Oh, cat owners: cats can get lepto as well, we just don't have a vaccine yet!!

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