A Post from a friend, shared with her permission
**IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ**
Many breeders and owners (including myself) will not use the Lepto vaccine. This is due to the high incidence of severe reactions and the low efficacy and limited duration of any protection given by the vaccine. There are also many strains of Leptospirosis, many of which are not even covered by the vaccine.
However, it is important that owners MUST know the symptoms of Leptospirosis and seek PROMPT treatment, as it can, in rare cases, progress very quickly and cause death within 48 hours. Treatment consists of a 14 day course of Doxycyline. Penicillin (Synulox and equivalent) will also work, but I believe does not prevent shedding, so Doxycyline is the treatment of choice, but the dog must eat something with this antibiotic. If Leptospirosis is suspected, it is important that treatment is started before waiting for test results, as these can take a day or two and a 'wait and see' policy is unacceptable.
If in any doubt, you all know you can call me at any time.
So, what are the signs of leptospirosis in dogs?
The signs of leptospirosis in dogs vary, depending on the strain of the infecting bacteria, the dog's immune response, and other factors. Some infected dogs have no signs of illness; some have a mild and transient illness and recover on their own; and others develop severe, life-threatening illness.
For dogs that do become ill, the signs tend to be non-specific. These are the most common signs:
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Fever (sometimes)
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes)
Dehydration
Drinking or urinating more than usual
Weight loss
Stiffness or muscle pain
The reason for this post is that sadly, there has now been a 2nd case of Leptospirosis in 14 months. Both share the same scenarios, in that it has followed heavy rainfall and flooding and the rat population was extremely high. Remember, for every rat you see, there are at least another half a dozen you are not seeing! It is therefore important to deal with the problem before there is an infestation. The local council can help or you can buy poison, which must be secured in a safe place.
I use the bait blocks, which kill in one feed. These are secured by putting wire through the holes in the blocks and are then secured into a long piece of drainpipe and placed where my dogs cannot access it.
Give homeopathic nosodes to your dog. These were found to control an epidemic of Leptospirosis in humans in Cuba. Please see link below.
Do not allow your dog to have access to dirty or stagnant water. Change water in outside bowls each morning.
If you feed the birds, you are more likely to encourage a higher number of rats and this food source may need to be removed.
Please do call or message me if you're worried, as I don't want anyone to panic!!!
Remembering Minka's lovely sister, Lotti, at this sad time xx
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20674839/
