Bonn. The leptospirosis (Stuttgart dog's depth, because of illness) is a bacterial disease with worldwide importance, which can be spread by numerous animals. The disease is caused by leptospires. These are gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacteria that can also actively move in the environment. With the leptospirosis, the environment plays a major role as an pathogen reservoir. The pathogen is excreted with the urine and other animals can be infected by contacting infectious urine and contaminated environment (water, puddles, earth, sleeping site, water, food, etc.). The leptospires penetrate the body through small skin or mucosal injuries.
Waters and puddles are the most important source of infection
The current main transmission path is the absorption of water polluted with rodents, mainly from standing waters and puddles. In warm temperatures in the summer months, the leptospires can remain infectious for weeks and months. The dog can also be infected when bathing in contaminated waters. Other, albeit less significant transmission paths, are indirect contact via contaminated soil, feed and sleeping spots as well as direct pathogen transmission by contact with the urine of infected dogs, by the pairing act, a bit as well as the eating of infected small mug and carcass. In addition, leptospires can pass the uterus so that infected bitches can already transfer the pathogens to their puppies in the womb.
In addition to rodents, not sufficiently treated and undetected dogs play an important role in the spread and contamination of the environment. You can always leave the pathogen interval -like over the urine for months up to several years.
Diverse symptoms – serious illnesses
After infection over the nasal throat or the skin, the bacteria get into the bloodstream and with the blood into the liver, kidneys, spleen, the central nervous system (Zns), Eyes and genital organs. There they multiply quickly, although more or less severe organ damage can occur. The symptoms in dogs can be mild and unspecific, such as lethargy and depression. Abdominal pain with severe organ damage can also occur. Disruptions of kidney function to kidney failure are serious complications. The liver is the second most common. In certain regions, including Switzerland, but also North and East Germany, heavy, often fatal lung bleeding, occurs frequently.
Immediate treatment with antibiotics after diagnosis is necessary to avert serious illnesses and avoid that dogs become reservoir of the pathogen. Intensive medical care is often required. An infection can be fatal, especially for unvaccinated animals. Die between 10 and 50 percent of the sick animals.
However, many leptospiren infections run without clinical symptoms. Unskinsed animals, as well as healthy animals, can continue to be a pathogen discharge and thus represent a source of infection for other dogs and people. According to numbers from southern Germany, 1.5 percent of healthy dogs are eliminated.
Prevention by vaccination
The leptospirosis is a zoonose, which means that the disease can be transferred to humans by the animal. According to the vaccination recommendations of the constant Veterinary Medicine Vaccination Commission (Stiko vet) For small animal practice, vaccination against the leptospirosis is therefore one of the mandatory vaccinations (Core vaccination). Well -effective vaccines that cover the most important variants in Germany are available. They offer broad protection against serious illnesses and prevent and also reduce the excretion of the pathogens.
The basic immunization comprises two vaccinations every four weeks. Depending on the antibody status of the mother animal and the puppies, a third vaccination is recommended after another four weeks. An annual refresher vaccination is required to maintain vaccination protection. In summer it should also be taken care that the dog does not absorb water from standing waters or puddles.