The Dangers of Standing Water: Part 1

It's the tail end of the rainy season so what better topic than the dangers of standing water! This is going to be a three-part post, spaced out through the rest of the month. ​

The first hazard we would like to talk about is Leptospirosis, which can be spread from animal to animal but also to humans. Leptospirosis is a disease caused by infection with Leptospira bacteria. Risk factors for exposure to leptospirosis include drinking from rivers, lakes or streams; exposure to wild animal or farm animal species, on rural properties or on hiking or camping trips, but even if in the backyard; and contact with rodents or other dogs. The bacteria are transmitted through animal urine, particularly in a standing body of water, which your dog may drink or play in.

While exposure to the bacteria does not always result in illness, dogs can develop severe problems such as kidney and liver failure, which can even be fatal.  To be safe, we recommend your dog be vaccinated against lepto if you go camping, hiking and to lakes or beaches, or if your dog has any exposure to wildlife. Because one of the more dangerous strains of leptospirosis is spread by rats, even dogs living in urban areas are at risk!

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Is your dog vaccinated against leptospirosis? We offer the vaccine at our hospital and can make you an appointment if needed. If your dog has never been vaccinated against lepto then we will need to start with the first vaccine and follow up with a booster vaccine in 3 weeks. After that booster, the vaccine is repeated each year. We can send email reminders and postcard reminders that tell you what vaccines and when they are due, so that protection doesn’t fade.

Let us know if you have any questions about leptospirosis!