Harley PoMMom
03-06-2015, 03:43 PM
Apparently it seems that lepto is on the rise, and once a dog is infected it does some real damage to their kidneys and other organs.
Infected animals shed spirochetes in their urine that subsequently contaminate the environment. Susceptible animals and humans are most often infected through contact with contaminated water. Bacteria enter through damaged skin or mucous membranes...
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the most commonly recognized disease
in dogs, accounting for more than 90% of reported cases of
leptospirosis.
The prevalence of canine leptospirosis varies by region and season, and is considered an emerging infectious disease in humans as well as dogs.
Results of one study in Michigan indicated that more than 20% of healthy, client-owned dogs had been exposed to Leptospira serovars.
In another study, 8.2% of dogs were shedding pathogenic leptospires irrespective of health status.
It is unknown what proportion of dogs with acute kidney injury have leptospirosis; however, given the high rate of exposure, leptospirosis should be considered in every dog presenting with acute renal abnormalities regardless of the dog’s signalment, environment or geography.
These excerpts were found here: https://www.idexx.com/files/small-animal-health/products-and-services/reference-laboratories/canine-leptospirosis-test-dx-update.pdf
This paper was published in 2014 and presented at conference in Canada: http://www.vetemergency.ca/docs/downloads/CE/Leptospirosis%20Presentation%202014%20JW.pdf
This article was published in 2011 and the author discusses the difficulty in treating dogs in the carrier stage, noting that the protocol of antibiotics prescribed depends on your geographical location: http://www.dcavm.org/11septnotes1.pdf
Infected animals shed spirochetes in their urine that subsequently contaminate the environment. Susceptible animals and humans are most often infected through contact with contaminated water. Bacteria enter through damaged skin or mucous membranes...
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the most commonly recognized disease
in dogs, accounting for more than 90% of reported cases of
leptospirosis.
The prevalence of canine leptospirosis varies by region and season, and is considered an emerging infectious disease in humans as well as dogs.
Results of one study in Michigan indicated that more than 20% of healthy, client-owned dogs had been exposed to Leptospira serovars.
In another study, 8.2% of dogs were shedding pathogenic leptospires irrespective of health status.
It is unknown what proportion of dogs with acute kidney injury have leptospirosis; however, given the high rate of exposure, leptospirosis should be considered in every dog presenting with acute renal abnormalities regardless of the dog’s signalment, environment or geography.
These excerpts were found here: https://www.idexx.com/files/small-animal-health/products-and-services/reference-laboratories/canine-leptospirosis-test-dx-update.pdf
This paper was published in 2014 and presented at conference in Canada: http://www.vetemergency.ca/docs/downloads/CE/Leptospirosis%20Presentation%202014%20JW.pdf
This article was published in 2011 and the author discusses the difficulty in treating dogs in the carrier stage, noting that the protocol of antibiotics prescribed depends on your geographical location: http://www.dcavm.org/11septnotes1.pdf