Leptosprirosis

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have my dogs vaccinated for leptospirosis. My vet had a dog die from it a year or two ago, so when I asked her about it a couple of years ago she agreed it was a good idea. A breeder just posed this on another forum. It's about a 16 week old puppy she had sold to a family at 8 weeks , who had been extremely ill recently.
"Contacted it right in this woman's back yard. She lives in the city, has a fenced in backyard, but has many squirrels and wildlife there too.
Louie is on two different antibiotics, has to have titers done now to
check his kidneys and is going to be a close watch for a few weeks
still. Something to consider whether or not having your puppies
vaccinated for Lepto..."

[shelly]

WOW! This was a great site for information... I just printed out those medications so I have them in tori's Vet folder... just in case... Funny - although they weren't conclusive with the Doxycycline... when they gave that to Tori when they thought she had a UTI, it didn't work and they followed a second round with amoxycillan.... I have to go on her vet portal accnt and see if she also took some 'digestive' med when she was vomiting last year... hmm... I love my vets, but I get upset that I have to double check or at least feel the need to question what they are giving... I would think they should know this?????

[F, Calla & Luca]

Shelly, the article says doxycycline does not appear to be a problem for these dogs. An animal may not respond to an anibiotic for a number of reason but most often because the offending organism is resistant to that drug. Then a different antibiotic may be more effective. So this may have nothing to do with what happened with the UTI. That said we all need to be our own best doctors, and that includes for our dogs too. Nobody else is so specifically focused on our histories, reactions, etc. Always question but that doesn't necessarily mean your vets are not informed.

[shelly]

I agree... I even do that with my children. I do trust my vets... I didn't mean to imply that I didn't, but you are right. We DO have to be on the ball with reactions, etc. Thanks!

[Damo]

My one year old died today from Leptospirosis----came on very quickly---she was vaccinated for it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this. So sorry for your loss.

[shelly]

Oh my goodness... I am so sorry for your loss!!! This disease is so scary!

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is so sad. I am so sorry to hear this. It's very scary especially since you live near me. Unfortunately the vaccine is not completely effective.

[F, Calla & Luca]

From what I've recently read the severe reactions are pretty rare now to Lepto vaccine, anyway.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I'm seeing that a lot of dogs have had reactions to vaccines. The dogs who have had reactions--are you advised not to receive them again?
For example--If a dog has a bad reaction to rabies vac what does the vet recommend to you the next time. I know it is the law, but is there a chance of death or life -time damage and side effects the second time?

[shelly]

This is a very good question, Joanne. Thanks for making a good point. I'll be watching.. don't we have members here who are vet techs? I actually didn't go back for Tori's Lepto shot this year

[Pat & "Tucker"]

Severe reactions are contraindications for vaccine. The vet should NOT recommend it again. thisis usually clearly stated in the package insert.

[F, Calla & Luca]

It occurred to me that when I have my allergy shots, I have to wait 20 minutes afterward to make sure any major reactions would occur in the doctor's office. The same thing for the H1N1 flu shot. Given what some people have said here, maybe that would be a good idea for the dogs , too.