Protection
There are 2 ways to protect dogs from leptospirosis. The first is to lower a dog’s risk of exposure to potential sources of contamination. The second is annual vaccination against the key Leptospira serovars that cause leptospirosis.
Risk of exposure can be reduced by draining or avoiding stagnant water, keeping pets out of slow-moving water sources where wild animals may visit, controlling rodents, and avoiding unmaintained canine facilities. These steps help; however, host animals harbor and shed leptospires into the environment, so exposure cannot be completely prevented.1,2
Many dogs, from urban to rural, from small to large breeds, lead lives that could expose them to Leptospira bacteria. Evolving expert opinion suggests that all dogs leading lifestyles in which there is a reasonable risk of exposure could benefit from vaccination against leptospirosis.
Vaccination has proven to reduce the prevalence and severity of canine leptospirosis.1 Bacterins that contain up to 4 main serovars, L. canicola, L. grippotyphosa, L. icterohaemorrhagiae, and L. pomona, are available to protect dogs.
For more information about Nobivac® Lepto4, a highly effective leptospirosis vaccine from Merck Animal Health proven to aid in preventing clinical disease and mortality, click here. For more information on Nobivac® Lepto4 in combination with distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, and parainfluenza, click here to learn about Nobivac® Canine 1-DAPPv+L4 .
References:
- Greene CE, Sykes JE, Brown CA, Hartmann K. Leptospirosis. In: Greene CE, ed. Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier; 2006:402−417.
- Sherding RG. Systemic bacterial infectious diseases. In: Birchard SJ, Sherding RG, eds. Saunders Manual of Small Animal Practice. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders; 2006:191−203.
