Canine leptospirosis is brought on by a purchase of bacteria called spirochetes - slender, spirally undulating bacteria. You will find four or five species of the leptospira bacteria (or serovars) that can infect dogs: canicola, icterohemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa, and pomona.
Leptospira are located in wild and domestic animals. The bacteria are dispersed in the urine, often making their distance to ponds and remaining infective in the soil for approximately 6 months. Rats, pigs, raccoons, cattle, skunks, and opossums seem to be the main reservoirs. With housing spreading in to the suburbs, more wildlife are entering connection with most dogs. This can be the reason of the upswing in leptospirosis cases. Spirochetes enter a dog's system via a break in the skin or once the dog drinks contaminated water.
Dogs who spend a lot of your time in the water are in increased risk, much like dogs who drink from puddles and dogs who spend some time in yards that get a lot of runoff or stay wet after it rains.
Most infections are mild and don't show clinical signs. Signs appear 4 to 12 days after exposure. Fever exists in the initial phase. Other signs are lack of appetite for a few days, vomiting, lethargy, depression, muscle pain, and often diarrhea or blood in the urine. Leptospirosis primarily affects the kidneys and/or the liver.
In severe cases, the whites of the dog's eyes turn yellow (jaundice). This suggests hepatitis with destruction of liver cells. Coagulation problems can ensue, with spontaneous bleeding in the mouth and blood in the stools. Following recovery, untreated dogs may become carriers and shed bacteria in their urine for approximately annually.
The canicola and gripotyphosa serovars often cause kidney damage, and also the pomona and icterohemorrhagiae serovars usually modify the liver. Young dogs often show liver damage with all of of the serovars.
Diagnosing could be suspected based on the dog's clinical signs. Tests of kidney and liver function is going to be abnormal. Spirochetes could be detected in the urine and blood by fluorescent antibody staining. Blood tests are for sale to read the diagnosis.
Treatment: Severely ill dogs should be hospitalized for public health reasons and also to provide more intensive care. Antibiotic mixtures of penicillin and streptomycin work from the disease, although doxycycline has become routinely used as well. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin will also be sometimes used. Supportive measures includecontrolling vomiting and diarrhea, correcting dehydration with intravenous fluids, and looking after nutrition.
Prevention: There's a vaccine for leptospirosis.
Public health considerations: Humans can buy leptospirosis, generally using it . kinds of exposures that make the disease in dogs, for example infected water. Additionally, it may spread via connection with infected urine, so precautions should be taken when the family dog has leptospirosis. An infected dog who's asymptomatic can continue to spread the problem.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Charles Peterson at 05092011
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