Leptospirosis is among the many monsoon illnesses that may affect your dog. Caused by bacteria leptospira that survive in humid conditions, it is important to protect your pet from playing in muddy puddles during the rainy season, in order to protect them from the deadly infection. Dogs typically contract leptospirosis through direct contact with urine of an infected animal, and open wounds or sores may increase the chances of them getting infected with the disease. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease and can be transmitted to humans as well as animals"So basically, they can either be infected and not yet show symptoms or they may have complications and have severe illness. Dogs once infected might have mild or no illnesses or if the disease is severe they may have fever, sore muscles, reluctance to move with stiffness in muscles and legs and have a still gait, shivering and lack of appetite, increase thirst and urination and rapid dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea. And they may have dark gums and yellowness of skin may be present with swelling of the mucus membrane," says Dr Sulaiman Ladhani, Consulting Chest Physician, MD Chest and Tuberculosis, Masina Hospital, Mumbai elaborating the symptoms.
Pet parents should act fast if they find the above-mentioned symptoms in their pooch and take them to a veterinarian who may run a diagnosis and start immediate treatment with fluids as per need for the dehydration caused.