Spring is the Time for Leptospirosis

By Amy Rader, DVM, Residency Trained, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care

 

Spring is the season when we see an increase in certain infectious diseases. There are several reasons for this phenomenon. First our pets our outside playing and we are taking them on weekend excursions so they have more exposure to potential infections. Second, with warmer weather, bacteria, viruses and parasites live longer in the environment. And, the third reason is that vectors (parasites like ticks and fleas, and wildlife like raccoons, opossums, foxes and skunks) are more active in our environments.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can cause severe illness in our pets (dogs, horses, cows) and it can cause severe illness in people. Cats are more resistant to the infection so they rarely show any signs of illness. Dogs on the other hand, can become severely ill and some dogs die from this infection. Depending on the type (strain) of the bacteria it can cause kidney failure, liver failure, bleeding, and spontaneous abortions.

The leptospirosis bacteria are transmitted through the urine of infected animals.  Wildlife (opossums, raccoons, coyotes, foxes) can all be infected and spread the bacteria. When the soil is wet or there is standing water, the bacteria can live in the environment for several days. This allows the bacteria to still be present and infective when your pet walks through a wet area or when they drink from a puddle of standing water.  Once your pet ingests the bacteria it can replicate in the kidneys and liver causing inflammation in these organs leading to organ damage and failure.

The clinical signs that you will see are: lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and possibly yellowing of the skin or mucous membranes.  It is very important that this disease be diagnosed and treated aggressively very early on. Delays in treatment can lead to permanent damage to the kidneys, liver and / or the death of the pet.

Treatment includes intravenous fluids to replace fluid losses from the vomiting and diarrhea, nutritional support since pets are not eating, and antibiotics that are effective against this bacteria. Most pets are in the hospital for 1-2 weeks while they are being treated.  Special precautions have to be taken while the pet is in the hospital to prevent transmission of the infection to people.

Leptospirosis can be difficult to definitively diagnose. You can help decrease your pets risk of infection by keeping your pet away from standing water. This includes ornamental ponds and fountains that we may have in our yards. Replace any bowls of water that are left outside with fresh water every morning. Wild life are more active in the evenings and early morning, they will use our pets water bowls and our ornamental ponds as a water source.  Discuss vaccination against leptospirosis with your primary veterinarian. This vaccine is not 100% protective but it may help boost a dogs immune system if they are at higher risk of being exposed to the bacteria.

If you pet shows any signs of illness, please seek medical attention for your pet as soon as possible. The earlier any illness is treated the better the outcome for your pet.

Just Old Age or Something More Serious?

By:  Rebecca Ball, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA

 

As spring time and warmer weather return, you may notice your older dog breathing heavier and not being able to play as long as he once had.  Many pet owners attribute this to aging, but heavy breathing and exercise intolerance are not always just due to old age.  

Laryngeal paralysis is a disorder of geriatric large breed dogs where the larynx (the opening to the trachea or breathing tube) is not able to open as it should when the dog inhales.  This is due to a failure of the recurrent laryngeal nerve that innervates the muscles of the larynx.  As a result, the airway remains closed and dogs are not able to get enough air into their lungs when they inhale.  Clinical signs include loud breathing and panting, a change in bark, a dusky bluish color to the mucous membranes when exerted and in severe cases or in a crisis, collapse and potentially death. 

 

 The cause of laryngeal paralysis is not fully known, but may be part of a generalized neuromuscular disorder.  Patients should be evaluated for underlying causes such as a low thyroid level, masses in the neck or chest or other neurologic disease. 

Treatment of this disorder typically involves surgery to pull one side of the Laryngeal paralysis  open and hold it in an open position called a laryngeal “tie-back” procedure.  Possible complications postoperatively include aspiration pneumonia (due to food or water getting into the lungs) or failure of the suture holding the larynx open leading to a recurrence of clinical signs.  Aspiration pneumonia is treated with antibiotics and dogs can recover quickly if diagnosed early. 

If you feel your dog is showing signs of laryngeal paralysis, talk to your family veterinarian about a consultation with one of our surgeons.

 

 

Visiting Varmints, Control, and Unintended Consequences

Over the last decade, our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been delving into the safety and control of commercial rodenticides (mouse and rat poison).  Now they have begun banning many of those products for ‘do-it-yourselfers’ in an attempt to reduce the risk of accidental exposure to children and pets.  But, before we breathe a sigh of relief, let’s review what was and what will be available after the EPA is finished with their good intentions. 
Traditionally, mouse and rat control products available at your local store came in the form of pellets in a small container. You could open the container to expose the pellets and the little critters would come to feed.  The pellets were easily accessible and were often carried back to the nest.  These pellets contain anticoagulants that, when ingested at toxic levels, will cause the animal to bleed internally to death.

The bad news – exposure to pets and children can produce the same results if not treated promptly.

The good news – Treatment to combat the affect of these household rodenticides is decontamination (vomiting, activated charcoal to limit absorption of the toxin) and then a regimen of Vitamin K to combat the anticoagulant. Even in cases where discovery is delayed and internal bleeding has begun, blood transfusions will increase the patients clotting factors.  The pellets often have bright food coloring that can alert a parent or pet owner to a possible ingestion, the anticoagulant is relatively slow acting, and the prognosis for a complete recovery is very good.    

The items now available over-the-counter for consumers contain different chemicals that, depending on which is used and how much is consumed will, cause seizures or  high blood calcium levels that lead to organ failure. 

The good news – These new traps are self-contained and no poison is exposed.  The rodent walks in, can’t get back out, eats the poison, and dies.  They are ‘technically’ child and pet resistant. 

Hooray for the EPA, right?  Not quite…

The bad news – “Pet resistant” does not mean “Pet proof”.  Our canine friends can, and will, chew these products open and ingest the poison.  Once eaten, there is little that can be done.  There is no test and no antidote!  Immediate treatment with standard decontamination, IV fluids and/or steroids may help in low exposure, but if your pet eats a lot, death is almost certain.

Licensed, regulated pest control companies still have access to the anticoagulant type rodenticides so if you have a chronic or severe infestation, you might want consider that option.  No matter what you choose, vigilance and following instructions can prevent accidents when combating those visiting varmints.  

And remember - there is still the timeless, tried-and-true, method of ‘pest control’…own a cat!  J    

NOTE:  The ASPCA Poison Control Center received 2,271 reported cases of rodenticide exposure in Indiana last year.  Those are just the reported cases; the count is likely much higher because veterinary hospitals typically treat without calling.  The majority of reported poisonings were from the treatable anticoagulant type poison, but as time goes on and these become limited, we will see those percentages change.