Page 1011 - Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine

101 Leptospirosis 949

All personnel nursing a dog with leptospirosis should are sensitive to most detergents and disinfectants, and
VetBooks.ir wear gowns, gloves, and shoe covers while handling the are also killed by drying and sunlight. Owners of dogs
with leptospirosis should be advised to avoid contact
patient. Immunosuppressed individuals should not han-
dle leptospirosis suspects. Facemasks and eye protec-
they should wear gloves and use household detergents
tion should be worn when cleaning cages or runs, or with the dog’s urine. If the dog urinates in the house,
handling wet bedding. Laboratory personnel should or disinfectants to clean up the urine. How long these
wear gloves and a mask when handling body fluids from dogs will shed leptospires is unknown, but appropriate
a leptospirosis suspect. Gloves should always be worn antibiotic therapy should reduce the risk. Owners should
when handling canine urine, as dogs can be asympto- contact their own physician with questions about human
matic carriers of leptospirosis. Fortunately, leptospires leptospirosis.

Further Reading

Knöpfler S, Mayer‐Scholl A, Luge E, et al. Evaluation of Leptospira‐specific antibodies in experimentally infected
clinical, laboratory, imaging findings and outcome in 99 dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2018; 32: 201–7.
dogs with leptospirosis. J Small Anim Pract 2017; 58: Schuller S, Francey T, Hartmann K, et al. European
582–8. consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs and cats.
Lee HS, Guptill L, Johnson AJ, Moore GE. Signalment J Small Anim Pract 2015; 56: 159–79.
changes in canine leptospirosis between 1970 and 2009. Sykes JE, Hartmann K, Lunn KF, et al. 2010 ACVIM small
J Vet Intern Med 2014; 28: 294–9. animal consensus statement on leptospirosis: diagnosis,
Lizer J, Velinemi S, Weber A, Krecic M, Meeus P. epidemiology, treatment, and prevention. J Vet Intern
Evaluation of 3 serological tests for early detection of Med 2011; 25: 1–13.