Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which can affect many animals. It is rare in cats, but more common in dogs. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from animals to humans. (Learn more about human infections from the CDC fact sheet on Leptospirosis in people.)
The severity of symptoms varies, and depends on the dog (age, immune response, vaccination status), the strain of Leptospira, and other factors. Some dogs may have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, but severe cases can be fatal. This bacteria often settles in the kidneys, but may also affect the brain, heart, lung and liver.
Learn about Leptospirosis and how to protect your pets and your family.
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Related Reading:
- Ehrlichiosis in Dogs
- Distemper in Dogs
- Parvo in Dogs
- Babesia in Dogs
- HGE - Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis (HGE) in Dogs
Image: Leptospira - Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a number of Leptospira sp. bacteria by CDC/ Rob Weyant
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