Hespeler Animal Hospital

‘Lepto’ vaccine is a good idea for dogs in this region

From Dr. Langlais’ column in The Record

Q: My vet has recommended I vaccinate my dog against “lepto” on several occasions. What exactly is lepto? Does my dog really need this?

Lepto is short for leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that occurs in many species of animals. In an article written for the Lancet in 2003, Drs. Baharty and Nally state that “in the past decade, leptospirosis has emerged as a globally important infectious disease.” In fact, leptospirosis is supposed to be the most common zoonotic disease in the world. (Zoonotic diseases are infections that we catch from animal sources.) Humans get infected more commonly from exposure to wild animal or livestock urine than from their own pets, but protecting our clients’ families is one of the reasons veterinarians may recommend the vaccine.

Leptospirosis causes infection of the liver or kidneys. In dogs, the kidneys are affected more often than the liver. Signs can include flu-like symptoms of lethargy and muscle tenderness (that can mimic a lot of things, don’t you think?). Symptoms of more advanced disease can include decreased appetite, increased thirst, vomiting and weight loss. These are the symptoms of kidney failure of many causes, of which lepto is one.

Leptospirosis is a core vaccine for some practices and not for others. A core vaccine is an inoculation that all dogs should get, regardless of lifestyle. A few examples would include canine distemper, parvovirus and rabies. Non-core vaccines include canine kennel cough and Lyme disease.

I consider “lepto” a core vaccine and I do recommend vaccinating dogs for it in my practice. Why is that?

Well, for one, leptospirosis is quite prevalent in this area. Dr. John Prescott, a veterinarian and professor at the University of Guelph, has stated “canine leptospirosis has become increasingly common in recent years in southwestern Ontario”. Statistics from the University and from Idexx, a veterinary testing laboratory, clearly demonstrate that fact.

Lepto was very common in the ’70s, and with vaccination it pretty well disappeared. However, it’s now considered a re-emergent disease.

Why is it back? For two main reasons. One reason is that the older vaccines only protected against two strains, namely canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. Infections seen in dogs since the late ’90s have involved different serovars, so these older vaccines are no longer protective. Fortunately, a couple of vaccine manufactures have responded by making a vaccine that includes the newer grippotyphosa and pomona strains.

The second reason we’re seeing leptospirosis again is that the risk factors for infection have changed. The disease used to be most common in country dogs; dogs that were more likely to be exposed to ponds and grass contaminated by livestock or wildlife urine. These days, however, our pets don’t have to go far to get exposed to wildlife. We have skunks, raccoons, squirrels and other rodents living in our backyards, and sometimes even in our homes.

For that reason, I feel it’s a good idea to make sure dogs that live in this area are vaccinated against leptospirosis. If they’ve never had the vaccine before, they’ll need two doses given three to four weeks apart. After the booster, re-immunization at yearly intervals is recommended to maintain immunity against lepto.

For more information, check out: http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dog_leptospirosis.htm