Question regarding the Lepto vaccine.

[Emily]

Originally Posted by sassafras

I hear you... I do, too. I wish it would drop off the face of the earth, along with Lyme disease.

Word! Leave us alone and stop making me question my vaccine protocols, you bastards!

[AdrianneIsabel]

I grew up with a dog who had lepto, survived but had permanent nerve damage and a strange head tilt.

I am conflicted as well...

[Red Chrome]

My dogs are in a lot of nasty water in spring and summer. I give it as a solo vaccination in the spring.

[Flyinsbt]

I should give it. I haven't, but I know that lepto is widely spread in the rat population in the Portland area (a study was done, and I forget the number, but it was somewhere between 75-90% of the rats in the area being infected with leptospirosis) And I know my dogs are interested in rats. So I really should get the vaccine.

I would give it separately. I give all vaccines separately anyway.

[JacksonsMom]

I pretty much agree that it's one of those "well, it depends" vaccines. I don't give it because Jackson had a *horrible* reaction to it at 12 weeks old, and I was so scared, I thought he was going to die. So his file has a very clear 'NO LEPTO' on it.

I know around here, it's somewhat more common than some areas, but I'm really not too worried about it.

[k9krazee]

I had a dog (Micki) who got Lepto from a mouse/rat in our yard. He made it through and lived 6 more years but had lasting kidney damage.

We had all of the dogs (solo) vaccinated when we confirmed that Micki had it but we never got boosters or continued the Lepto vaccines.

[OlegZ]

I believe Lepto vaccine should be repeated every year to be sure that titres are high and dog is protected. Since leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease I would suggest to have it updated timely in areas where disease is common.