Leptospirosis

What it is

Leptospirosis (lepto for short) is a serious bacterial disese of dogs, multiple animal species and humans that occurs in countries around the world. In the United States, it has become an increasing concern in recent years, especially in cities and suburbs. The main reason is growing populations of wildlife, like raccoons and skunks, that carry the disease and infect dogs indirectly. Dogs can get sick even if they never come into direct contact with infected animals.

Lepto has been diagnosed in all types of dogs. All breeds and sizes of dogs are at risk. Lepto can be a very serious disease and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. It generally attacks a dog's liver and kidneys, and can lead to organ damage or failure. But if caught early, it responds well to antibiotics, and fortunately, vaccination can help prevent lepto.

Lepto is a family of bacteria with multiple "subfamilies" called serovars. Around the world, there are more than 200 serovars of lepto. Although there are many serovars, only a few are known to cause disease in dogs. Newer vaccines contain four serovars for protection against today's most common serovars.