KILLER LEPTOSPIROSIS LURKS

Greetings everyone. What a week we had! Hurricane Irma really packed a punch, many of us are still without electricity or water. Despite the stress we are already experiencing we have to bring your attention to the threat Leptospirosis, Lepto for short, is to your pets. Lepto is considered an Emerging Bacterial Disease by the CDC and can affect humans as well (that means you)! Lepto is usually associated with urine from mammals such as mice, rats or raccoons. Lepto may be found in stagnant water contaminated by mammal urine. After Irma we may see a spike in displaced rodents and wildlife that may spread Lepto to new areas.

​Although there are many species of Lepto, the four most common species are preventable by vaccination. There are virtually no symptoms until the disease is in its advanced stage. Lepto is not yet considered common, but this may be due to under-diagnosing.

We at YGF take these issues seriously; we carry the Lepto vaccine that protects against the 4 common species of this bacterial disease. The vaccination requires a booster shot 2-4 weeks after the first injection. It’s then a yearly vaccine like the others. Lepto is not a new disease nor is it the “flavor of the month” scary disease, it is an emerging disease that tends to be more prevalent in rural and developing areas just like ours.

This vaccine can be administered through our Shot Clinic which does not require an appointment unless you prefer one. The vaccine costs $15, but the supply may be limited so we recommend you call ahead to confirm availability.

Dogs have been known to have reactions to the vaccine when given in combination with other shots. Although a reaction is not a common occurrence it isn’t rare either. To reduce the possibility of vaccine reactions we can administer a Benadryl injection the same day as the vaccination.

We suggest you Google® “Leptospirosis” but be prepared for scary info.
Questions? Please call us at 352.277.5671.