Introduction
- Leptospiral infection of the dog.
- Differential diagnosis in acute and chronic liver and kidney disease of the dog.
- Epidemiology : can be caused by any pathogenic serovar of Leptospira interrogans. Dog is the maintenance host of the Canicola serovar but infection by a further 9-10 serovars has been reported.
- Prevalence : acute disease has a low reported prevalence but may be under diagnosed. Disease due to Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae may have been reduced by vaccination and other serovars may be as or more common in clinical disease.
- Signs : sudden onset fever, vomiting, jaundice, depression, dehydration, renal failure.
- Death within 2 days from onset of clinical signs in acute cases.
- Treatment : antibiotic/fluid therapy, blood transfusion, additional drugs.
- Prognosis : grave unless treated early.
- Zoonosis : shed in the urine of infected dogs, both in acute and chronic phases.
Precautions to protect veterinary staff and owners advisable if leptospirosis suspected.
Print off the owner factsheet Leptospirosis
to give to your client.
Diagnosis
Clinical signs
- Icterus.
- Pyrexia.
- Oral and conjunctival petechiation.
- Congested conjunctivae.
- Abdominal pain.
- Ascites.
- Dehydration.
- Acute renal failure (oliguric, anuric or polyuric).
- Chronic liver or renal failure.
Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
- Other causes of acute and chronic liver and kidney disease.
Sequelae
Prognosis
- Once clinical disease has developed, prognosis is grave.
Expected response to treatment
- Improvement in clinical signs.
Reasons for treatment failure
- Severe disease; rapid onset of signs and progression.
Sources
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed.
- Burr R D, Lunn K, Yam P S (2009) Current perspectives on canine leptospirosis. In Practice 31 , 98-102.
- Goldstein R E, Lin R C et al(2006) Influence of infecting serogroup on clinical features of leptospirosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med 20 , 489-494 PubMed.
- Moore G E, Guptill L F et al(2006) Canine leptospirosis, United States, 2002-4. Emerg Infect Dise 12 (3), 501-503 PubMed.
- Andre-Fontaine G (2006) Canine leptospirosis- do we have a problem? Vet Microbiol 117 (1), 19-24 PubMed.
- Boutilier P, Carr A & Schulman R L (2003) Leptospirosis in dogs: a serologic survey and case series 1996-2001. Vet Ther 4 (4), 387-396 PubMed.
- Ward M P, Guptill L F & Wu C C (2004) Evaluation of environmental risk factors for leptospirosis in dogs: 36 cases (1997-2002). JAVMA 225 (1), 72-77 PubMed.
- Harkin K R, Roshto Y M & Sullivan J T (2003) Clinical application of a polymerase chain reaction assay for diagnosis for leptospirosis in dogs. JAVMA 222 (9), 1223-1229 PubMed.
- Harkin K R, Roshto Y M et al(2003) Comparison of polymerase chain reaction assay, bacteriologic culture, and serologic testing in assessment of prevalence of urinary shedding of leptospires in dogs. JAVMA 222 (9), 1230-1233 PubMed.
- Adin C A & Cowgill L D (2000) Treatment and outcome of dogs with leptospirosis - 36 cases (1990-1998). JAVMA 216 , 371-375.
- Heath S E & Johnson R (1994) Leptospirosis. JAVMA 205 (11), 1518 (Brief review of leptospirosis epidemiology, with the emphasis on cattle).
- Birnbaum N, Barr S C, Randolph J F & Simpson K W (1998) Naturally acquired leptospirosis in 36 dogs - serological and clinicopathological features. JSAP 39 , 231-236.
- Wohl J S (1996) Canine leptospirosis. Comp Cont Ed Pract Vet 18 , 1215-1225.
- Greene C E (1994) Diagnosis, therapy and prevention of common infectious disease in the dog. Vet Q 1 , 25-55.
Other sources of information
- Rentko V T & Ross L A (1992) Canine leptospirosis. In: Kirk R W & Bonagura, J D (eds) Current Veterinary Therapy XI. Philadelphia: W B Saunders, pp 260. (Comprehensive review.)
