Leptospirosis

In most cases the disease is mild. Primary symptoms are fever, listlessness, loss of appetite and depression. Other symptoms involve the kidneys: a "hunched up" look due to kidney pain, ulcers on the mucus membranes of the mouth and tongue, thick brown coating on the tongue, bleeding from the mouth or bloody stools, severe thirst with increased urination. The whites of the eyes may turn yellow. Persistent vomiting and diarrhea are common. This disease is more prevalent in some areas than others. (Summarized From Carlson & Giffin.)

Many dogs seem to be allergic to the leptospirosis vaccination. If your dog is vaccination against lepto for the first time, keep a close eye on it for a few hours afterwards. If the dog goes into anaphylactic shock, get him back to the vet immediately.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, so if you come into contact with a dog that has Lepto, consult with your own doctor.

Zoonotic Disease - things you can catch from your pet - or not.

Thank you to Canine Medical Information, Part II FAQ
Cindy Moore, rpd-info@netcom.com
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