A Nanaimo vet is advising dog owners to vaccinate their pets and be aware after a local dog died from leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that transmits from an infected animal's urine.
Dr. Myriam El Mouldi, owner and medical director of Mahalo Veterinary Hospital, said the positive case was diagnosed about two weeks ago in a large mixed-breed dog, and the animal died shortly after at an emergency hospital.
"I really do want people to know about it because I want them to vaccinate their animals," El Mouldi said. "There's no cure for it."
The disease is caused by the bacteria leptospira. According to Health Canada, leptospirosis is carried by many wild and domestic animals, but rodents are the main carriers. When the infected animal urinates, the leptospirosis bacteria is passed in the soil and nearby water.
El Mouldi said one way dogs may come in contact with it is through drinking from puddles, as rodents typically urinate in water in order to hide their scent from predators.
"This [bacteria] passes through their urinary system into the bodies of water and when the dogs drink out of the puddles when they're on hikes and things like that they're at risk of contracting leptospirosis."
With there being no cure, she said the only way to prevent it is to vaccinate the dog or to not let them come into contact with the bacteria.
In 2024, the American Animal Hospital Association added the vaccine to its list of "core" vaccinations following consensus statements from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, as well as the recommendation of AAHA’s vaccine guidelines task force. In a press release announcing the change, Ingrid Taylor, AAHA director of guidelines, stated that any dog that goes outdoors, whether in an urban or a rural setting, can be exposed to leptospirosis.
"Over the years that AAHA has been publishing guidelines, we have seen a substantial increase in the prevalence of this disease," Taylor stated.
Under the vaccination schedule, the dog receives an initial vaccine then a booster three weeks later. After that, it is once annually.
In dogs, El Mouldi said the owner of an infected pet might notice the animal is lethargic, not eating, and may become worse as days go on, showing signs of jaundice and spiking a temperature.
"It's deadly, there is no cure for leptospirosis. It will destroy their kidneys and liver and it is also zoonotic so it is transmissible to the owners and a lot of MDs don't know what to look for."
In humans, Health Canada states that symptoms can appear two to three days after contact, with common symptoms including fever, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, skin rash and eye infection. Severe cases may also include jaundice, kidney or liver failure, inflammation of the heart muscle and meningitis.
"It's been on the Island for many years and I'd like people to know more about it and get informed, especially since most of us go out and do outdoor activities on the Island and it would just be very prudent," El Mouldi said. "Especially if people have immunocompromised people in the household, that's even worse because of course they're going to get sicker faster."
In every case diagnosed, El Mouldi said the clinic has requested the owner to seek medical attention for a full leptospirosis screening.
"Their doctors have had to be informed what leptospirosis was and that it is zoonotic and communicable, so their MDs are not going to know about it but their veterinarians will."
