VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

LEPTOSPIROSIS

• Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that can pass from animals to humans.
• It is a bacterial disease that damages the liver and kidneys of dogs, sometimes resulting in renal failure and death.
• It is caused by a spirochete (spiral shaped bacterium) called a leptospire.
• Leptospires live in fluids from infected animals, including urine, saliva, blood and milk.
• The disease is transmitted by direct contact with the fluids or with an infected animal.
• It is also transmitted by indirect contact such as vegetation, food and water, soil and bedding materials.
• Leptospires enter the body through mucous membranes or through breaks in the skin.
• The disease may be carried for years in animals without any apparent symptoms of the disease.
• Any age, breed or sex of dog is susceptible to leptospirosis, although in general, young animals are more severely affected than adults.
• Large breed outdoor adult dogs are most commonly affected.
• Leptospirosis can cause irreversible kidney damage, liver damage, uveitis (inflammation of the inner part of the eye), and damage to other organs.

Diagnosis

• Your veterinarian will want to do a complete review of history and physical exam findings to develop a list of possible causes for your dog's illness.
• In order to make a definitive diagnosis of Leptospirosis, however, various diagnostic tests may be recommended.
• 

  Leptospirosis test: A microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is the most frequently used serological test for Leptospirosis.
• It evaluates the presence of serum antibodies to Leptospirosis antigens.
• General blood and urine tests
• Kidney biopsy

Treatment

• If the disease is caught in time, it can usually be treated successfully with penicillin and tetracycline drugs.
• However, those with renal failure may or may not recover, or may recover only partial renal function.
• Animals with acute renal failure should be treated with appropriate fluid therapy.