# Leptospirosis



## Mike Di Rago (Jan 9, 2009)

I would like to share this info.
My 20 month old GSD had been utd on all vaccination and had shown good overall health untill 3 weeks ago when he started losing appetite and enthusiasm while working. I gave him a rest until friday when I took him to the vet to check his condition. He had lost 14 lbs.
We are still waiting for lab reports but lepto seems to be a possibility according to my vet. Last night Jack suffered a complete kidney shutdown. Having other complications it was decided by my vet and myself to have him put down today.
Here is a link that some may find interesting, and if it can save some dogs.
Mike

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2102&aid=454


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## Jerry Cudahy (Feb 18, 2010)

Mike very sorry to hear about your dog.

Leptospirosis is a very old killer that has in recent years reared its head once more.

The cases are in fact about to go higher as spring comes.

Sorry for your loss.


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## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

Sorry for your loss Mike.

Is this more prove not to keep to much faith in vaccines??


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## Jerry Cudahy (Feb 18, 2010)

brad robert said:


> Sorry for your loss Mike.
> 
> Is this more prove not to keep to much faith in vaccines??


 There is a vaccine that requires the original shot and a booster within a couple weeks.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

That's so sad, Mike. I'm sorry for the loss of your young dog. 

Not all vets suggest lepto vaccine, though in recent years, my vets have recommended it. Not everyone opts to vaccinate for lepto. It has a potential for reaction, but I've heard it's less so now than in the past. Because my dogs run loose in areas that could potentially be infected with lepto, I vaccinate for it, but it's still a concern, despite that. 

Thanks for the head's up, Mike. Something to think about.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I am sorry too. That really bites.

It is one I vaccinate for in my area because it is making a comeback here....I think the smaller dogs are more susceptible to vaccine reactions. My vet does annual but the AAHA sais the vaccine is only good for 6 months.

It is one you should get locally because each region has different servovars for the upcoming season (like a flu shot) and if you get it mail order may not get the right blend

With dogs working in the woods, and in swampy areas where pigs are known to be - not a risk I would take.


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## Ricardo Ashton (Jun 3, 2010)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> I am sorry too. That really bites.
> 
> It is one I vaccinate for in my area because it is making a comeback here....I think the smaller dogs are more susceptible to vaccine reactions. My vet does annual but the AAHA sais the vaccine is only good for 6 months.
> 
> ...


Good advice,since there are different strains of lepto, dependent on area, carrier type etc. I'd invest in a cat as well. After it kills off as many rodents as possible, the dog would have a fresh chew toy. :twisted::twisted:

BTW I think its kinda weird that rats & mice carry lepto, cats catch,kill & eat them, but some how don't get sick. Any one know why?


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## Gerald Guay (Jun 15, 2010)

Having heard of Mike's bad luck I questioned our veterinarian today when I was visiting her for our pup's rabies and lepto shots. 

The vaccine she is now using covers 4 of the 9 strains of lepto known to affect dogs. She says that lepto for dogs has become somewhat like the flu for humans. Meaning that the vaccines they are using are specific to the lepto strains as they were known when the vaccines were developed. As the lepto virus mutates the vaccines administered *may* not be as effective against the recently mutated virus. So vaccinations for lepto, though I do not like to vaccinate my dogs, may have to be repeated as new strain effective vaccines are made available. 

Gerald


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Gerald Guay said:


> Having heard of Mike's bad luck I questioned our veterinarian today when I was visiting her for our pup's rabies and lepto shots.
> 
> The vaccine she is now using covers 4 of the 9 strains of lepto known to affect dogs. She says that lepto for dogs has become somewhat like the flu for humans. Meaning that the vaccines they are using are specific to the lepto strains as they were known when the vaccines were developed. As the lepto virus mutates the vaccines administered *may* not be as effective against the recently mutated virus. So vaccinations for lepto, though I do not like to vaccinate my dogs, may have to be repeated as new strain effective vaccines are made available.
> 
> Gerald


So even with vaccs you only have a 50/50 chance of it being effective ?? Those are pretty good odds as far as the vet is concerned.

I think your chances are just as good not getting the shot.

Sorry about your dog Mike.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Mike, I'm real sorry to hear you lost your dog. Thanks for posting the link.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Sorry to hear about your dog for sure Mike. If I am going to keep my dogs away from water sources, pigs, yadda, yadda, yadda, I may as well get rid of them. I only give the first two shots (Lepto included) and never give them another one.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Sorry to hear about your dog, Mike. Please let us know what the lab tests show. 

Lepto does indeed seem to be making a comeback. There are four main serovars (like strains) that dogs most commonly get, but there are others out there. The older lepto vaccination only covered one or two of the serovars and was more likely to cause a vaccine reaction, for some reason particularly in dachshunds. The newer vaccine covers the four main serovars and is formulated differently with less likelihood of reaction. Leptospirosis is spread through the contaminated urine of wildlife, particular rodents, raccoons, and opossums. One big reason lepto is a concern is that it is a zoonotic agent and can be passed onto humans. I wear gloves when handling a urine sample in general, but especially if we have a lepto suspect.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Gerald Guay said:


> Having heard of Mike's bad luck I questioned our veterinarian today when I was visiting her for our pup's rabies and lepto shots.
> 
> The vaccine she is now using covers 4 of the 9 strains of lepto known to affect dogs. She says that lepto for dogs has become somewhat like the flu for humans. Meaning that the vaccines they are using are specific to the lepto strains as they were known when the vaccines were developed. As the lepto virus mutates the vaccines administered *may* not be as effective against the recently mutated virus. So vaccinations for lepto, though I do not like to vaccinate my dogs, may have to be repeated as new strain effective vaccines are made available.
> 
> Gerald


Hi Gerald, I'm not sure if it was miscommunication, but leptospirosis is caused by a cork screw shaped bacteria, not a virus.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Sorry for your loss Mike!
Lepto goes way back and wasn't uncommon in GB at one time. When transferred to humans I think it's called Weils disease. 
I always had my terriers up to date with shoots when I hunted them regularly but now only give puppy shots and nothing later.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Puppy shoots sounds more like bad diarrhea, Bob... ;-)


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

fixed!


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Mike,

Wow, what a crazy loss. I was really looking forward to hearing how your GSD was doing with the FR training with the spring approaching. 

So so sorry....thanks for sharing the info on lepto with us.


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## Ang Cangiano (Mar 2, 2007)

Mike, I'm real sorry to hear about this. I always enjoyed seeing pics of him.

Just as a side note, this sounds real similar to Juvenile Renal Dysplasia (JRD) It normally affects dogs up to 24 months of age.
http://www.videxgsd.com/jrd_simplified.htm

Again, real sorry for the loss,
Ang


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## Mike Di Rago (Jan 9, 2009)

Thank you all .
As soon as I get the results I'll post them here. Spoke to the vet again last night she confirmed we should get them in 5-7 days as of yesterday.I think the fact that it happened so quickly has the vets wondering also. The other possibility was poisoning from antifreeze, but that was ruled out.
Ang, I'll find out about JRD, thanks
Jennifer, yeah I was looking forward to the upcoming year to see how things would have worked out.
Mike


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Sorry about your dog Mike .


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> Mike,
> 
> Wow, what a crazy loss. I was really looking forward to hearing how your GSD was doing with the FR training with the spring approaching.
> 
> So so sorry....thanks for sharing the info on lepto with us.


My sentiments exactly. 
I'm really sorry, Mike, that truly sucks. I appreciate that you thought of all of us and shared the link and the information.


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## Mike Di Rago (Jan 9, 2009)

Just got a call from the vet. Lepto was negative,I asked about JRD and they confirmed it was a possibility but that since they had not done a biopsy we will never know. But if it was JRD it would have been congenital meaning Jack had it at birth but it isn't hereditary.
Mike


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## Esa Rasimus (Feb 24, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your dog Mike


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