Kathryn Primm, DVM, reviews a study on leptospirosis distribution originally published in the AVMA Journal. While it only examined records of dogs in Oregon, findings suggest the risk factors can exist in other geographies.
Source: Veterinary Medicine, June 13, 2016.
This study indicates spatial clustering, so if you identify a case of leptospirosis you may need to be on the alert for others. Most of the dogs with leptospirosis had not been vaccinated and seemed to be located in certain geographic areas, which seasonally coincided with rainfall. Risk factors were not easily identified in every case, and affected dogs suffered from a variety of clinical signs including anorexia, lethargy and gastrointestinal signs.
Also see:
- Dogs and us are at risk for leptospirosis, Animal Health Digest, March 6, 2016.
- Setting the facts straight about leptospirosis, Animal Health Digest, December 29, 2015.