March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to the Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital On February 14, 2017, the New York City Department of Health announced three human cases of Leptospirosis, two with pulmonary hemorrhage and one fatal as a result of infection. Recently there have also been outbreaks in Chicago and Arizona, where dozens of dogs have been infected. Now, there have been reports of 6 cases in New Jersey, including 5 dogs in Bergen County.
NBC explained , ‘Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection dogs can catch from wildlife like squirrels and rats. The disease passes through urine, which pets may lick up when drinking from puddles or other standing water.’
The Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital the symptoms in dogs may be any of these: lethargy, loss of appetite, depression, fever, dehydration, weakness, diarrhea, and vomiting. Leptospirosis can become life threatening in a very short period of time.
The best protection is prevention, and there is a canine vaccine for Leptospirosis. While cats can also be infected, there is no vaccine for cats at this time.
If you are not certain if your dog is protected, you can see your dog’s vaccination status through Pet Portals on our website: www.ridgewoodvet.com. If you are not registered, you can register there as well.
If your dog has never been vaccinated against Leptospirosis, or is overdue, please call our office to be scheduled immediately. If overdue, only one vaccination is required. If never vaccinated, a series of two is required.
If your dog is due within the next 60 days, we recommend giving the vaccine now to insure maximum antibody protection during this increased risk period as opposed to minimal protection possible at the end of the vaccine period.
Please call our office now to schedule an appointment if your dog is overdue, never had, or due within 60 days for the Leptospirosis Vaccine.
