New Online Map Provides Resource for Pet Owners in At-Risk Leptospirosis Environments

A new interactive map of the United States based on an online survey of veterinarians launched on Leptoinfo.com helps to highlight the risk of leptospirosis (lepto) across the country.

Lepto is a growing concern for dog owners. It has been identified throughout the United States, including cities, suburbs and rural areas, and more cases are being recorded as the wildlife population continues to grow. Pets in both urban and rural environments are encouraged to be vaccinated to help prevent the disease. Areas that have high levels of lepto contamination are predominately warm, wet climates, but areas with fresh water and rodents are also at-risk areas. Lepto is a zoonotic disease which can be transferred from animals to humans. Soil and water are contaminated from the urine of infected wildlife. Pets are then exposed to the bacterial infection by contact with the contaminated soil and water. Once the pet is exposed, the bacteria affects the internal organs of the animal, mainly the liver and kidney.

This new online resource map allows veterinarians to report the number of leptospirosis cases they have seen and for pet owners to share their stories after their pet is diagnosed with lepto.

"Lepto is everywhere, and veterinarians are reporting it more and more across the country," says Pedro Diniz, DVM, PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences. "Because of the early detection of lepto among veterinarians and dog owners, national surveillance has been heightened and new cases have been identified and isolated throughout the United States. Now this online tool allows vets to gather their cases and post the results on the map."

The disease once thought to mostly be a problem just for hunting dogs, is now known to be a risk to all pets. This includes small dogs that rarely, if ever, get out of their own backyards. The best prevention for lepto is to understand and minimize the risk factors and vaccinate animals, regardless of size, when at-risk. The online map and website provides resources for pet owners to evaluate the risk for their pet and access the facts of the disease.

Pet owners are encouraged to visit LeptoInfo.com to post their pets stories and to participate in an online risk assessment to learn about geographic risks, how dogs are exposed to the disease, signs of disease, and precautions to take to help prevent the disease.

For more information on canine leptospirosis visit www.leptoinfo.com