Village Veterinary Clinic in Vandenberg Village recently saw an unusual case of Leptospiroris.
According to the clinic, the bacteria typically impacts a dog with a more active lifestyle such as hiking or camping, but the most recent case was a dog who lives in the middle of the village and does not travel or spend much time outside.
"So you've got water run off that's gonna create a puddle that the dog then drinks, so it's kind of a waterborne disease, then they exciter it in their urine and they go pee and a dog comes along, licks something and that's how it spreads" said Dr. Connie Ganter.
Dr. Ganter believes the best time to bring in your animal to get vaccinated is during fall or spring. She says she's never treated an animal for the disease in the summer.
The vaccine is a two booster vaccine which is given a month apart.
"Some dogs do have more of a reaction to a Leptospirosis vaccine than say rabbis. Some of those can be serious reactions like hives but most of the time, we don't see anything at all," said Dr. Ganter
Leptospirosis is a rare bacterial infection that affects humans and animals. It can be transmitted through water mammals or rodents through an unhealed break in the skin when it comes in contact with water where animal urine is present.
