Detroit / Bacterial disease outbreak threatens metro Detroit animals

[responsiblek9]

http://news.msu.edu/story/9952/

Published: Oct. 27, 2011

EAST LANSING, Mich. — More than 20 cases of the life-threatening bacterial infection leptospirosis have been reported in Detroit-area dogs in the past three weeks, according to Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health.

[fledchen]

Scary! I wonder if un-neutered males are more likely to get the disease as they will be most attracted to other dogs' urine?

[responsiblek9]

 The vectors can be mice . Now a lot of people leave bowls out and the mice will go into a dog bowl to eat the crumbs and mice pee everywhere they go.
Dust from where mice had been and the urine dries and can become dust particles. Our hounds really got nailed back in the  early 80's in Oklahoma with the lepto. Was wiping out the dogs.
When I moved up here no vets vacinated for lepto. I had to buy my own shots to cover that from the feed and pharmacy stores.
In the past few years though there was a lepto outbreak here in adult dogs . Then the vets started vaccinating for it. The vector here is the foxes and raccoons.
 The lepto shot though only lasts for 6 months .
The outbreaks I saw were in the spring . So it is different to see a fall outbreak of lepto. 

[responsiblek9]

http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/97/10.16.97/leptospirosis.html
New forms of old disease threaten U.S. dogs, CU veterinarians warn
By Roger Segelken
A potentially fatal bacterial disease that damages the liver and kidneys of dogs, humans and other animals -- leptospirosis -- is appearing in new forms in the United States. Citing an alarming increase in leptospirosis cases, bacteriologists in the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine's Diagnostic Laboratory are urging dog owners to watch for symptoms of the disease until improved vaccines are available.

"Until vaccines are upgraded to include these new types of lepto, we're advising dog owners to watch for flu-like illnesses in their pets," McDonough said. "If the dog has been exposed to the urine of another domestic animal or a wild animal, either directly or in ponds or run-off water that collect urine, and if you notice these flu-like signs, the pet should be tested for lepto."

[k1maplewd]

the lepto vax used here doesn't address lepto strains found in this area.  It's a rather pointless vax to give if you live here since your dog can get a lepto strain common to this area regardless if they have the vax

[responsiblek9]

  Right now lepto vaccinations can cover up to 4 of the strains. Most though only cover three.
So it is a good idea to find out what type of vaccine the vet is using and wich strains it covers.
My SDs go into different regions as we travel and we often are sloshing through rain run off, mud, and puddles in cities and various areas. So I pay attention to this one .