You may never have heard of leptospirosis, or maybe you think it affects only dogs, but this potentially fatal disease has spread to humans and it's on the rise in the western United States, according to an ABC News 15 affiliate in Arizona.
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ABC interviewed a veterinarian who said there’s been an uptick in the number of dogs she sees each year that have leptospirosis. However, the number of leptospirosis cases in Colorado, Utah and Arizona and in other parts of the country is unknown because states are not required to report them.
Leptospirosis isn’t a new disease — in fact, it’s ancient. More cases are being reported in recent years because diagnostic techniques have improved and because more and more humans are moving into natural habitats, enabling their pets to come in contact with other animals that are infected with the lepto bacteria.
Dogs can pick up the bacteria from water or soil contaminated with infected urine. Pets that spend a lot of time in the water or in areas that get rain or snow runoff are most at risk, as well as dogs that drink from puddles or ponds. Humans can pick up the bacteria from contact with the urine of an infected dog.
Leptospira can be found in domesticated and wild animals including rats, pigs, raccoons, cattle, fox, skunks and opossums. Cats are not affected. Humans who are infected with leptospirosis have flu-like symptoms, which can be cleared up with antibiotics. Dogs can also be successfully treated if caught in time.
In some cases, a canine leptospirosis infection is asymptomatic. When symptoms do occur, they can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, depression and blood in the urine. More serious infections can cause jaundice and blood clotting problems.
Leptospirosis is entirely treatable, and while there’s a vaccine, it’s expensive and risky. Instead, you should keep your dog’s immune system healthy, and if you live in or visit areas where lepto is prevalent, take reasonable precautions to prevent exposure.
If your dog has been diagnosed with leptospirosis or any other condition, it’s important to know that just like humans, pets will heal faster if they have less stress.
If your pet is recuperating at a vet clinic or hospital, be sure and visit daily, or more, if possible. The human-animal bond is strong and can be life-giving to your pets.
If you want to be with your pet during vet exams, procedures and hospitalizations, you should make your wishes known to your veterinarian ahead of time, if possible. Some DMVs are OK with this; others are not. Communication is the key.
While people in cities may not worry about wildlife passing on a disease to their dogs which can be passed to dog owners, they have their own animal-to-human diseases to worry about.
More than 400 New York City mice were trapped over a period of 13 months and 3% to 14% were carriers of gastrointestinal disease-causing agents such as shigella, salmonella, E. coli and C. diff. Further complicating the problem, genes known to cause resistance to a wide variety of antibiotics were found among the mice.
Mice pose a particular risk to humans because they’re known to live inside people’s homes, invading their kitchens and easily contaminating their indoor spaces.
More than 80% of U.S. homes carry detectable levels of mouse allergens. In urban areas like Philadelphia, Boston and the Big Apple, more than 15% of households report evidence of mice or rats.
Experts believe similar pathogens are likely to be found in mice in other urban areas and country mice may harbor pathogens closer linked to wild animals or possibly livestock, although this is an area that is still being researched.