# Leptospirosis vaccinations?



## JeanninePC99 (Aug 2, 2007)

I let my vet talk me into it. She scared me after I told her we were hikers and had started to take Baxter swimming.

Baxter got so, so sick from the very first shot. I think I posted about it here just a day ago. I won't get the follow up shot. After googling and reading as much as I could, it seems that many owner have decided to forgo this vaccine. It's just too risky.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

My vet is 99% sure that is what caused the severe reaction KayCee had when she got her 2ed set of annuals at age 2 1/2. Never had a problem with any of her puppy vax nr her first yearly set of vax. I don't know if tht was the first lepto she had gotten o not. BUT we almost lost her and my vet wouldn't even vaccinat her against except law requiredrabies after that. 

There was an out break of distemper here 3 years laterand I did get her a distemper booster. But from the time she had that reaction at 2 1/2 until her death due to cancer a little over 6 years later, she got one distemper, a couple of kennel cough nose drops whn I had to board had and 2 rabies vax.

Now if there wa asudden and severe outbreakof lepto here, I would get the vax for Honey But since there has only ever been one case, she does not get it.


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## k9mom (Apr 23, 2009)

My vet chose not to give this to Nugget because she is very sensitive to medicine. He told me as long as she don't drink standing water she will be ok.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

I was just questioning this issue myself, with Gunner.
I had the vet titer for Lepto and he showed low immunity to 5 of the 6 Lepto strains that they test for. I was a little hesitant to give this vaccine because I've heard about the bad reactions that some have (even though none of mine have ever reacted to it - knock on wood.) 

The biggest concern, for me, is that it can be transmitted through raccoon urine, and we have about a million of them around here. Since Gunner has never reacted badly to the vaccine, I decided that his risk of exposure to Lepto was greater than the risk of vaccinating.

That's really what it comes down to. You have to weigh your dog's risk of exposure against the risk of vaccinating. Not always an easy decision.


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## chesneygirl007 (Nov 5, 2007)

Thanks guys. I dont go hiking much nor are my dogs around wild animals so I think the best thing to do is forego getting it. We dont have any outbreaks in it around here so I think I will just not get it. Thanks again.


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

I have never given the Lepto shot to Pippa but I believe her breeder did before I adopted her. At that time she was living in a forested area where it would be quite possible to pick it up from wild life. Now that she's living in the city I don't believe her risk of getting Lepto is high enough to warrant the vaccine.

I asked the holistic vet about the Lepto vaccine when I had the titers done for the other vaccines in April. She told me the Lepto vaccine causes a lot of reactions, only lasts for about 6 months and doesn't cover all the strains of Lepto. She didn't recommend it. 

She did say that Lepto is most prevalent in the fall so if one where to vaccinate to do it in late summer/early fall in order to actually obtain any benefit from the shot.


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## dogluver04 (Jul 5, 2008)

My breeder has it in her contract that we are not to give Cedar the Lepto vaccine. My vet is pretty understanding and they dont have a problem with strict vaccine protocol that we have for Cedar.. I never knew about the Lepto vaccine until my breeder told us about the effects from it and whatnot..


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## mesuezee (Jan 9, 2009)

I have never even heard of this...


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

We do get it, because Lepto can be a problem here. We're in the country with lots of water surrounding us, and lots of wildlife.

I did have a dog react badly to the Lepto shot years ago. His little face swelled up like a baloon. He was having a severe allergic reaction. The Vet gave him a shot, and he was fine in minutes.

However, from that point on, he had to have something to keep him from reacting to that vaccine. He did always get the Lepto shot...but never reacted badly again.

It depends on where you live whether or not your dog needs to be vaccinated against Lepto. Your Vet should know whether or not Lepto is a risk in your area. And then you need to assess that risk to determine whether or not your dog should or should not get the vaccine.

And...since the severe reactions that it caused years ago...the vaccine has been reformulated to be safer. I haven't heard of an unusual number (there are always SOME to every vaccine), of reactions to the Lepto vaccine in years and years.

Rabies vaccines are often the cause of severe reactions, as well. But ya gotta have 'em.

ANY vaccine can cause a problem...from mild to death....depending on the dog's system. Just like humans...some people can't take some things. But overall, if vaccinated correctly, and not OVER vaccinated throughout the dog's lifetime...most vaccines are, statistically, safe.

Here is a quote from a report TO Vets FROM the College of Veterinary Medicine in WA State...answering whether or not the Vet should give the Lepto vaccine:



> Are canine lepto vaccines likely to cause adverse vaccine reactions?
> 
> There is no evidence that vaccines against lepto are more likely to cause adverse reactions than any other routine canine vaccine. A recent publication (Moore et al. JAVMA 2005;227:1102-1108) *reported on data from 3,439,576 vaccine doses given to dogs*. The lepto vaccine in combination with DAPP had an adverse reaction rate of 28.8/10,000, or less than 0.3%. *This was no different than the rabies or coronavirus vaccines*.


http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/rdvm/lepto.asp

Note that the adverse reaction of the combo shot (which most Vets give)...which would include Lepto...is 28.8 out of 10,000 dogs....out of the 3.5 MILLION studied. And...like I said, some reactions may be mild or severe. This study only ascertained a "reaction" ... not the severity of the reaction.

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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

All of mine have the Lepto, with no problem. It's recommended here as we have a lot of crawly creeper's and Lot's of water around us.


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## rpodsim (Jun 8, 2009)

We just had out pups vaccinated against lepto cause we go up toe OK to my parent-in-laws property several time a year, camping at state parks, and ATVing. So we don't want to take the chance. My vet also told us that there were 3 cases of Lepto recently in the area. So far no reactions.


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

Lepto is included in our dogs annual booster. After staying on a farm years ago, although vaccinated, Ginny contracted Lepto, but luckily because of the vaccination she only had a mild infection.


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## meadowmist (May 27, 2009)

Our Scout did get this with no reactions of any kind. Our vet explained potential risks, but since our puppy is both inside/outside and their are other animals around he could be exposed to as well as their waste, we took the risk. These shots DO really make me nervous.....I always worry so much with Scout now, but with our cats as well!


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## chesneygirl007 (Nov 5, 2007)

I got the distemper shot last year at petcos weekly vaccinations. They have a dr come in and they have all kinds of vaccinations and its cheaper than going to the vet. I specifically asked for the distemper with no lepto. Well I realized last night the first two puppy shots were with the lepto but the last shot wasnt. Cause my vet was asking for both my dogs to get the lepto cause they had it last year. Well I had my pups distemper done this year with no lepto when he got his neutering done on Friday. I'm just so glad he didnt get a reaction to the lepto. I dont take the dogs to the petco vaccinations anymore I take them to the clinic its just as cheap and its a real vet there anyhow.

Kim


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Ardeagold said:


> Note that the adverse reaction of the combo shot (which most Vets give)...which would include Lepto...is 28.8 out of 10,000 dogs....out of the 3.5 MILLION studied. And...like I said, some reactions may be mild or severe. This study only ascertained a "reaction" ... not the severity of the reaction.


I didn't see anything stated in that article...
Have they conducted any studies on the Lepto vaccine by itself, or just the combo?
I'm wondering if the Lepto vaccine is possibly safer if given alone as opposed to being included in a combo that might stress their immune systems _because_ it's a combination given all at once??


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## Solas Goldens (Nov 10, 2007)

I live in a semi rural area. My vet doesn't even recommend the vaccine.


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## kooie (Jul 29, 2008)

This is a tough call. I have vaccinated Finnigan but reluctantly. I made sure that the vaccine was a monovalent ( I try to get monovalent for all his vaccines- I stay away from 8 ways for sure and I do a titer test in 3 years to see if my dog needs to be vaccinated for distemper and parvo, the cells have memory and the dog probably has immunity for 7 years or for life)

Back to lepto, I hate vaccines and I am ocd about this subject as you can see from my long post....
If I had a small dog that was hardly out of my arms I wouldn't get any vaccines. But I have a golden who does a lot of hiking. I run into standing water often. I feed the birds in my yards and of course the little rats have to eat too, and their urine as well as raccoons can cause lepto.
There are prolly lots of cases of lepto that go undiagnosed. The vet sees kidney failure and just treats it not worrying about it if its lepto. So my guess is there is more of this then most know.
If you don't have your golden around standing water, like mud puddles down a country road that has been there for a while- then I wouldn't get this vaccine. Finnigan is around standing water. The vaccine only addresses about 4-6 of the strains but the most common of the strains.

There is another issue and that is a dog that has been vaccinated can be a carrier of the lepto, that means other dogs without a vaccine can contract lepto from the urine and I believe other body fluids from your dog. So in many ways the vaccine creates a bigger problem. Geeze I hate this subject, its has a lot of things to think about.
I decided that Finnigan is around rat urine and raccoon urine a lot so I should vaccinate. Its a risk but the other has a bigger risk in my mind. Since this has to do with wet soil conditions and the vaccine is good for 4-6 months I give the vaccine before spring. I will not give it twice a year. You have to to look at your own situation to determine if this vaccine is something you should get.
Also you should look at the success rate of treating kidney disease. 

Fort Dodge as a new vaccine with greatly reduced side effects. Monovalent too!

(What am I doing about the rattlesnake vaccine ???... haven't decided yet! leaning towards it though)

*Here are some facts about lepto:*
* .* Leptospires are known as "aquatic spirochetes": they thrive in water and appear long and helical with a characteristic hook on one or both ends. These organisms are divided into two species, Leptospira biflexa and Leptospira interogans, the latter of which is pathogenic in animals and humans. L. interogans is divided into strains, or serovars, based upon the types of antigens (cell-surface markers against which the infected host will make antibodies) on their surface.
*. *Leptospira thrive in spring and autumn when wet soil conditions and moderate temperatures support their otherwise poor environmental survivability. Infection by contact with infected urine or ingestion of urine-contaminated water is the most common means of transmission of the disease. Less common modes of infection include transmittance of the organisms during breeding, gestation, or through the membranes of the eyes, abrasions or bite wounds, or ingestion of the flesh from infected animals such as rats, raccoons, skunks or opossums. A serovar infects the dog as a maintenance host, using the dog to carry out most, if not all of the organism's life cycle. Under these conditions, the kidneys of the infected dog become the "breeding" grounds for the serovar, some of which will be shed in the urine where they may gain access to other dogs and continue the infectious cycle.
*. Symptoms of disease:* During the first 4-12 days following infection with Leptospira, the dog may experience sudden symptoms of fever (103-105oF), depression, vomiting, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis, and generalized pain. Within 2 days of the onset of these primary symptoms, body temperature may drop suddenly and there may be a noticeable increase in thirst. A definite change in the color of the dog's urine and/or jaundice (icterus) is often noticed and may be the only indication of disease. Color intensity of the urine may vary from lemon to deep orange. Additionally, frequent urination and subsequent dehydration (uremia) are consistent with invasion of the kidney tubule cells by the Leptospira organism and usually present within a few days of the primary symptoms. In advanced cases of infection, profound depression, difficulty breathing, muscular tremors, bloody vomitus and feces are often observed as the infection progresses to include the liver, gastrointestinal system and other organs. Course and severity of the disease is often dependent upon the serovar responsible for the infection. Serovars associated with liver infection and symptoms of urine discoloration and/or jaundice (icterus), elevation of liver enzymes, and gastrointestinal symptoms include L. icterohaemorrhagiae and grippotyphosa. The serovar grippotyphosa is also associated with symptoms of renal failure as is the serovar pomona.
*. Treatment.* Antibiotic therapy in the early course of Leptospirosis infection is efficient in shortening duration of the disease, reducing the time period for risks of contagion, and decreasing the severity of liver and kidney damage. In advanced cases, supportive therapy to compensate for abnormal blood, kidney and liver function may be required. Therapy to restore urine production, kidney filtration and blood flow are essential to reversing kidney failure. In cases of severe liver disease, a decrease in clotting factors in the blood may lead to bleeding disorders requiring treatment by transfusion. Since Leptospirosis poses a risk of contagion to other animals and to humans, special precautions must be taken to prevent transmission of Leptospira from the dog to other animals and human companions or caretakers. All blood, urine, and tissues from a dog suspected or determined to have Leptospirosis must be handled as biologically hazardous waste. Infected dogs should be quarantined and areas of contamination should be washed and disinfected with an iodine-based solution. It is important to note that even after treatment and control of the active disease state, dogs continue to shed serovar in their urine and therefore, may pose an infectious risk to other animals and to humans up to 3 months following infection.
*. Prognosis.* Fatalities as a direct result of Leptospirosis do not usually exceed 10% and usually occur 5-10 days after initial onset of the disease. Death arising from secondary complications associated with progressive kidney and liver damage are common but may not occur for long periods following the initial disease.
*.* *Prevention.* Commercial vaccines are available and protect against clinical disease associated with the L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. canicola serovars. Inoculation does not, however, prevent infection and development of a carrier state whereby the dog will be clinically asymptomatic for disease yet provide a source of contagion through the shedding of serovars in its urine. Additionally, vaccinating against these specific serovars does not afford protection against other serovars.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

My vet recommended against the lepto vaccine. She also said that she isn't worried about any more routine vaccinations for Mila, who is almost 11 years old and a total city dog. Rabies is required by the state every 3 years.


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## kooie (Jul 29, 2008)

I agree with jackson's mom, I would not vaccinate an older dog. I won't vaccinate Finnigan beyond 7 years.
I regret more then anyone can know for vaccinating my last golden. That lepto vaccine is what killed him I believe.
Tore his immune system all up!


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

kooie said:


> I agree with jackson's mom, I would not vaccinate an older dog. I won't vaccinate Finnigan beyond 7 years.
> I regret more then anyone can know for vaccinating my last golden. That lepto vaccine is what killed him I believe.
> Tore his immune system all up!


I wouldn't vaccinate an older dog either, unless there were some extraordinary circumstances that put them at an extremely high risk for exposure. And even then, I would titer first.

And yes, I know how you feel. We lost a GSD at 9 years of age and lost our Cooper (who was perfectly healthy) at 11 to what I'm now convinced was overvaccination. I didn't know any better and made the mistake of trusting our vet who never mentioned ANY possible downside to giving annual boosters, all at once. We thought we were doing right by our dogs, protecting them. It's a difficult thing to live with.


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## maggie1951 (Apr 20, 2007)

My Jack Russel had the lepto vaccine but i still lost her do the so sometimes the vaccine does not work :no:


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## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

I vaccinate against lepto. because of the life style that we lead - camping - swimming - hiking - boating, etc. Thankfully we have had no reactions. If we didn't do those things all the time then I would not vaccinate against lepto.


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