# Leptospirosis Vaccine



## wolfebergk9 (Oct 11, 2014)

Is it possible to give the Leptospirosis Vaccine by itself or is it always in a combo shot with distemper/parvo and other vaccines? 
How common is the lepto disease?
I don't want to over-vaccinate my dog. She is 4 years old and she does a lot of swimming. She has already had the distemper/parvo shots in the past and I have read these particular vaccines last for a long time; I don't want to give them to her again unless I have to.
Thank you for any opinions you have that you can share.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

You should be able to request the omission of the Lepto. I would suggest that you familiarize yourself with your areas prevelance with Lepto cases though. You can google search using key phrases, Lepto cases in city, state. Knowing if your area is a high risk area will help you make a better informed decision. 

My quick googling came up with this, scroll down a little and you will find a color coded map. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331730059X It was just a quick search and you may find better info in on our search.

You can request a titer test for parvo and distemper which will show whether or not she is still protected. The titer is a bit more expensive than the vaccines but imho very much worth it.

The only vaccine required by law is the rabies vaccine. 

I opted out of the Lepto but due to our life style, the risk is slim. I also titer every third yr for parvo and distemper.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Yes Lepto can be given separately and I believe it’s a 2 shot series given a couple weeks apart.


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## hoytn (Oct 1, 2017)

Lepto- The disease has also been associated with swimming, wading, kayaking, and rafting in contaminated lakes and rivers. As such, it is a recreational hazard for campers or those who participate in outdoor sports. The risk is likely greater for those who participate in these activities in tropical or temperate climates. right off the cdc website


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

The choice to give the Lepto vaccine was, for me, based on risk factors. 

Dogs that often drink out of puddles, dogs that are constantly in and out of lakes and rivers frequented by wildlife, exposure to residual wild animal body fluids, the fact that our area is thick with raccoons and other mammals.... I've opted to vaccinate. 

If there comes a point when one of my dogs doesn't have such a high risk of exposure, stays indoors more or in better groomed outdoor environments due to age/illness, I'll probably stop having it administered and let it expire for that dog. 

I have asked my vet to split it off from other vaccinations and have it administered separately, on all dogs. That allows me to watch for adverse reactions, which haven't been a problem to date.


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## Nagi (Jan 6, 2017)

You can get Lepto vaccine by itself. First time is a two set series. Then yearly vaccination. We have a River House out in the middle of nowhere. Lots of animals, streams, puddles, flooded areas. So I choose to vaccinate all three dogs for Lepto and lymes. Never had an issue. And I do vaccinate separately. I also titre for distemper and parvo.


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## dogbyte (Apr 5, 2002)

My Dutch shepherd caught Lepto from the urine of an infected possum in my yard, in town. Town dogs are more likely to catch it from an infected possum as their territory is much more limited than country possums, making the likely hood of a dog contacting the possum urine if there is one infected. We live trapped 3 possums in our yard that year. The first was definitely the sick one. I demanded the blood draw and drove the test to K-State myself. It was some of the highest serovars they had seen. Even though the vet we saw (3 vet clinic) did not prescribe the amoxi for 2 weeks in the beginning like she should have, but went straight to doxi Rossi is appearing to suffer no permanent kidney damage. When the original and my favorite vet got back 2 weeks into the 2 months of treatment, we did a round of 2 weeks of both. I missed the first signs of her being stiff and sore acting one morning. Put it to too much play the day before. But then she started vomiting and running a fever..one day pretty much herself, one day of being sick, next day back pretty much to normal. She was never super sick so as she is wicked at the vets, I didn't take her. A few days later she was pretty much herself. BUT was wanting, demanding going nuts to drink water. I researched, and figured I either had a Lepto dog or a diabetic. Many dogs get Lepto and recover with the owners never knowing it. Her white blood cell counts were very high, and they said her body was fighting it like she does everything in life.. balls to the wall...
All that being said, and check with your own vet, and then do your own research as we do not usually have Lepto here. Just a really wet fall that year. I don't vaccinate for it. 2 of the 4 serovars that were high enough to have made her sick, but not the 2 highest, are not covered in even the new vaccine. And it is thought to be good for only 6-9 months...some claim longer, some shorter. If I ever do, it will be split out.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Have never vaccinated for Lepto and no dog ever had a problem. Vaccine risk is higher than the risk of getting infected IMO.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I gave the Lepto vaccine for the first time last year (my boy was 7). I did it alone, with no other vaccines. It was a series.

The reason, we had a pretty big hiking year planned in the backcountry of the Adirondacks. I knew we would be crossing paths with wildlife often. We go out usually for 3 days at a time. 

In this case, I felt the risk was higher. This year, I won't give it. I'm not as concerned, our hiking plans are a little different. 

I was very nervous about giving the vaccine. Luckily, we did not have any reactions/issues.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Both of our dogs had ONE Parvo and ONE Distemper vaccination (separately) in their lifetime. One is 12 years old and one is 9 1/2. 
I titer every year and they have never tested low on either one. 

Gives accolades to Dr. Schultz's work!
Dr. Ron Schultz's (Vaccine Research) study results:
*Minimum Duration of Immunity for Canine Vaccines:*
Distemper- 7 years by challenge/15 years by serology
Parvovirus – 7 years by challenge/ 7 years by serology
Adenovirus – 7 years by challenge/ 9 years by serology
Canine rabies – 3 years by challenge/ 7 years by serology
Dr. Schultz concludes: “Vaccines for diseases like distemper and canine parvovirus, once administered to adult animals, provide lifetime immunity.” 


BUT.....this is not true for every dog. That is why it is so important to titer.


Please titer before getting those vaccinations. If your vet won't do it.....find one that will.

I never give lepto.

INFO:


Dr. Jean Dodds is a world known for her research.
Canine NON-Core Vaccines: Dr. Jean Dodds' Pet Health Resource Blog | Search results for: core vaccines
"Dr. Dodds considers infectious canine hepatitis (adenovirus-1), canine adenovirus-2, bordetella, canine influenza, canine coronavirus, leptospirosis, and Lyme regional and situational. Please research the prevalence in your area, and discuss it with your veterinarian."

http://dr-jordan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/LEPTOMANIA-by-Dr.-Patricia-Jordan.pdf “Since there are so many Leptospirosis serovars out there, and since the pathogenic strains vary, and since the vaccines cannot guarantee protection from infection, it would make better sense to not inject your dog with any Leptospira vaccines. The trade offs to avoiding adverse events from vaccination - not the least of which can be renal failure within 48 hours of injection, *or four years of dermatitis and puritis *– would be the human caretakers actually knowing their dog is sick with a pathogenic strain and having their dog presented immediately for treatment. To do this, animal guardians need to be aware of the symptoms of Leptospirosis in the dog.” 

Dr. Schultz Update on Leptospirosis Vaccines (2012)

Snapshot of Leptospirosis Strains and Vaccines

Vaccinations and How They Disrupt the Immune System

Immune Disorders and Vaccines 

Canine Non-Core Vaccines


Moms


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Ask your vet if it's prevalent in your area. Weigh your activities for risk. Where you travel outside your area. A friend, and member of this forum, is currently fighting kidney failure in her dog because of a Lepto infection a couple of years ago. An infection he most likely picked up while tracking. It's there. It's in the environment so talk to your vet.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> Ask your vet if it's prevalent in your area. Weigh your activities for risk. Where you travel outside your area. A friend, and member of this forum, is currently fighting kidney failure in her dog because of a Lepto infection a couple of years ago. An infection he most likely picked up while tracking. It's there. It's in the environment so talk to your vet.


Yes, I know of Nancy's boy. Which was actually the reason I reconsidered the vaccine for Rusty. I'm sorry to hear that he's not doing well. I have not been on the forum as much.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Courtney said:


> Yes, I know of Nancy's boy. Which was actually the reason I reconsidered the vaccine for Rusty. I'm sorry to hear that he's not doing well. I have not been on the forum as much.


Nancy?? Her dog had it too?


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> Nancy?? Her dog had it too?


Gosh- hope I'm not remembering wrong.

I thought one of her SAR dogs got it working.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I apologize for derailing this thread.

I believe Nancy posted a few years ago about a dog she knows getting it while working. She then gave the vaccine to her own after much consideration. I just remember it got me thinking as well.

Perhaps Nancy will see this thread and chime in.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't know! I was referring to Jane. I emailed Dr. Dodds years ago and her response was talk to your vet and weigh the risks if your area is high risk or your activities are.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

And yes. You can absolutely get the vaccine alone. I had a dog that was allergic and we had to have the core vaccines without it.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have a dog that contracted lepto in 2014. I never vaccinated for it, requested only 3-way vaccinations for my puppies.
I do believe it was from tracking that he was exposed to the bacteria, and Karlo licked fresh urine from either a possum or raccoon. Thankfully he did survive, but it was costly and he is still suffering from kidney damage.
I won't give him or my other dogs the vaccine. Though, at the time he had Lepto, I had to give my females the vaccination as he was shedding the bacteria all over my yard from his urine. They had no side effects whatsoever. My vet was very angry at me for not vaccinating in the first place and put her staff on antibiotics because Karlo exposed them to the bacteria while he was there awaiting transfer to MSU. I felt that was over the top, if they take proper precautions, they should have been safe from contracting a zoonotic bacteria.

The vaccine does not stay in the system long enough to be effective and like posted above, most dogs can fight off a dose of the bacteria if it isn't highly concentrated.

IF I were to give it, you bet it would be separate from other vaccines and I'd be very careful watching for side effects of the vaccine. That said, most dogs that become ill from the vaccine are smaller breeds, younger dogs that should not get it yet, and it seems like in the UK there are dogs constantly dying from the vaccination. 
My mom has a small terrier mix, and he is constantly crittering, she has oppossums and ***** in her yard all the time. I recommended that she vaccinate her dog because of the risk. She has and her dog never had any issues with getting the lepto vaccine.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

How long does the lepto vaccine typically last? Do you need to get boosters every year?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

GandalfTheShepherd said:


> How long does the lepto vaccine typically last? Do you need to get boosters every year?



From what I've read, the vaccine may only stay in the system for a few months. With my vet, there was a protocol of giving it two times a year, spring and fall. 
When you first give it, it needs a booster after the initial vaccination. 

The protocol now is once per year with my vet. Though I don't know if it now stays in the system longer(titering for this may be a waste of money). Too bad there isn't more research done with it as far as titers go.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> Have never vaccinated for Lepto and no dog ever had a problem. Vaccine risk is higher than the risk of getting infected IMO.


You may live in an area without much lepto. For people in high-risk areas, the risk with lepto is irreversible kidney failure, so the risk calculation is not necessarily the same. Once kidney damage occurs it doesn't really heal. That's a heck of a bad risk. 

People who live in lepto free zones, just like people in cold, low heartworm zones, tend to not realize how serious the risk is in other places -- esp. the hot, wet climate of the Deep South. *This is why getting advice from the vet about actual clinical incidence in your region is SO important!*

I've met several people in my area who had dogs die from lepto -- one lady I met at an adoption event said she didn't vaccinate based on well-meaning internet anti-vax advice, and her GSD was *dead * because of her decision. It was her heart dog, and she was wracked with guilt.

The wildlife in our neighborhoods transmits it through urine -- pee on a bush can be enough to transmit just on a normal neighborhood walk where the dog stops and tongue-flicks a leaf on a bush. My vet sees LOTS of it -- he says if he could only convince people to give one vaccine, that's the one because so often people don't notice the vague symptoms early enough for abx to help in the short treatment window. He does not see lepto in vaccinated dogs -- there 4-way lepto vaccine (L4) has been giving excellent protection in our area. YMMV, but the local vets will likely have the data.

You can easily separate the vaccines if you're worried and live in a high-lepto zone. It's no trouble. You can time the annual booster in Spring so that you have 6 months of strongest protection through Fall -- Spring through Fall is highest risk. 

For those of you who are getting torrential rains right now, pay special attention: lepto cases tend to explode in warm periods after a flood. There was tons of it in PR after Maria hit there. Even if you don't vaccinate most years, this is a year to think hard about it with your vet, if you're in a flooding area. This year's risk will probably be higher in those areas than in normal years.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

Magwart said:


> You may live in an area without much lepto. For people in high-risk areas, the risk with lepto is irreversible kidney failure, so the risk calculation is not necessarily the same. Once kidney damage occurs it doesn't really heal. That's a heck of a bad risk.
> 
> People who live in lepto free zones, just like people in cold, low heartworm zones, tend to not realize how serious the risk is in other places -- esp. the hot, wet climate of the Deep South. *This is why getting advice from the vet about actual clinical incidence in your region is SO important!*
> 
> ...


Wow thank you for the information... we have had so much rain here lately and Gandalf loves to lick pee (so gross!). He had his last lepto a year and a half ago, do you think we should get a booster for our area (central florida)? Oddly enough I just took him to the vet for his titers and shots and our vet said don't bother giving him the lepto... just double checked the records to make sure too, and there's no lepto there. I wonder why..?


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

Is it true the vaccine only covers 4 of the 200 strains?
Leptospirosis ?outbreak? in Florida in the news; more information needed!


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I know it only covers a few strains, not sure about the %s though. This is another reason I haven't given the vaccine yet since the dogs are at risk for all other strains as well + the vaccine itself. I find these always difficult decisions and try to keep them as chemical free as possible. They also need flea meds since Deja is allergic to fleas. We have these darn stray cats on our property who, I am sure, bring them in. Never had a flea problem before. So I am worried what al these chemical cocktails do to their bodies. Can't wait for the coyotes to return to the area.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

GandalfTheShepherd said:


> do you think we should get a booster for our area (central florida)?


Vets in South Louisiana were suggesting to booster after the 2016 floods, if we were more than 6-9 mo. out. I don't know what your local risk is though .

If your vet isn't sure, you might ask him/her to call the state vet school's epidemiology department (they won't talk to you, probably, but they'll take your vet's call), or else you can ask your county health department and see if you can talk to their public people who track disease. Find out whether they're tracking lepto and have modeled the potential for a post-flood outbreak -- they almost certainly are tracking cases in people and tend to keep a close eye on numbers after floods because it's a public health concern. These things tend to be very localized, so they'll probably have useful data on human cases that will give you an idea of your risk.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

GandalfTheShepherd said:


> Is it true the vaccine only covers 4 of the 200 strains?
> Leptospirosis ?outbreak? in Florida in the news; more information needed!


The fact that 200 have been identified doesn't mean that all 200 are in the United States, or are in your state, or even are all equally common. My understanding is that the vaccine covers 4 most commonly encountered strains. It's a fallacy conclude that covering 4 in 200 strains means it's ineffective -- it all depends what strains are common in your area. For example, if 99% of cases in your state are the 4 common strains that are covered, it would be *highly* effective.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

Magwart said:


> The fact that 200 have been identified doesn't mean that all 200 are in the United States, or are in your state, or even are all equally common. My understanding is that the vaccine covers 4 most commonly encountered strains. It's a fallacy conclude that covering 4 in 200 strains means it's ineffective -- it all depends what strains are common in your area. For example, if 99% of cases in your state are the 4 common strains that are covered, it would be *highly* effective.


Thanks Magwart we're getting ours today. :thumbup: just not worth the risk! I talked with one of the other vets and she recommended it, especially with all the rain we've been having, how Gandalf likes to lick pee and we hike in the woods every day. If I just had a dog I walked on the sidewalk everyday I probably wouldn't have bothered.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I vaccinate for it. My dog's lifestyle is pretty high risk.

I do the vaccine in the spring in the hopes that the most coverage they get will be during spring and summer when they swim a lot and drink stream or lake water.

My dog had a reaction to the Merck vax, but gets a different one at my current vet and has been fine. I also do it separately.

I titered both for distemper parvo. he came back strong and hers was almost nothing. She has had many distemper parvo shots in her life but not a good titer for whatever reason, so I redid her for that


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## e1701dlf (Mar 17, 2017)

There is no way I would give my dog a Lepto vaccine. I had a dog who was given a lepto, rabies vaccine on the same day. He developed allergies and seizures and died about a year later. Was it the vaccines or the combination? I don't know, although I do know that it is unusual for a dog to develop either seizures or allergies past 6 years of age. The allergies began within 30 days. 

According to Ronald Schultz (the guy who researches vaccines and immunity it dogs), Lepto has a fairly low effectiveness rate combined with a high adverse reaction rate. In England where they actually track adverse reactions in pets to pharmaceuticals, Lepto has been associated with multiple adverse reactions including death. That is low reward, high risk.

I live in a warm climate and walk my GSD daily. We do not walk through standing water and she is not allowed to drink from any standing water. It's not really difficult to limit her exposure. I also understand that Lepto is usually a mild disease and the kidney damage they scare you with only occurs if treatment is started much too late and it is an unusally severe case. If Zoey gets sick, I'll take her in for treatment.

Here's an article by Jean Dodds: https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/158029330221/leptospirosis-in-dogs#.WwcYXkgvyM8

Everyone has to make the best decisions they can for the health of their dog. Good education helps to make good decisions. Learn all you can before you make an irreversible decision.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

Just a little FYI from my vet today, it takes 3-4 weeks for the dog to gain immunity. She said to avoid hiking in the woods until then :frown2:


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