The Back Yard Threat
There are very few diseases you can get directly from your pet, but one of them is especially easy to contract: leptospirosis, a highly contagious illness spread through the urine of infected wildlife.
Dogs don’t even need to make contact with wildlife to get the disease—simply drinking water or ingesting dirt that’s contaminated with the urine of common backyard animals like squirrels, raccoons, and foxes is enough to make your dog very sick.
If your dog spends time outdoors, he or she needs the leptospirosis vaccine to be protected from this disease. This disease is also zoonotic, which means if your dog catches it, the human members of your family could as well!
Symptoms for both dogs and humans are similar and can include:
- Fever
- Shivering
- Muscle tenderness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
- Abdominal pain
Because raccoons, rats and other animals can be found in many of Portland’s backyards, we recommend the leptospirosis vaccine for at risk canine patients. We want your pet and your family to be protected! Schedule an appointment online or call us at (503) 446-2450 to schedule your pet’s vaccines.