Hong Kong is humid and rainy in spring and summer, and stagnant water is inevitable after heavy rains. A type of bacteria called Leptospira can survive in puddles, still water sources, and moist soil for several months.
If a dog licks it, or if the contaminated water comes into contact with the conjunctiva, nasopharyngeal mucosa, wounds, etc., the dog may become infected.
This is a common infectious disease among humans and pets and will not be directly transmitted from person to person, but people may also become sick if they are infected.
There are many types of Leptozoa strains, and different strains have different virulence, so they will cause different complications and death risks. Earlier, a man in Hainan unfortunately fell ill and was admitted to the ICU after working in the fields, which shows the dangers of extremely virulent strains.
Leptospira incubation period
In the early stages of one to two weeks of dog infection, there are no obvious symptoms, so it is often easily ignored. Some infected dogs may experience polyuria and cold-like symptoms, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, decreased energy and energy, etc.
leptozoa bacteremia stage
When a dog's blood is filled with bacteria, it will cause severe vasculitis, leading to symptoms such as jaundice, blood spots, dehydration, and lymph swelling; or it may attack different organs, causing diseases such as eye uveitis and uremia.
Leptospira shelf life
When bacteria enter the urine from the blood, the dog's body's immune system will begin to produce antibodies to destroy the bacteria. Dogs with good immunity may recover; dogs with poor immunity may develop organ failure (such as kidney failure, liver failure), or develop severe lung disease, causing difficulty in breathing.
It is worth noting that although the incidence of leptozoan disease is not high, the fatality rate is as high as 50% to 70%. For dogs infected with leptospirosis, even if they are not sick, the leptospira bacteria will still be hidden in the dog's kidneys and can be excreted through urine. The infectious period is more than one month, so it should be avoided when letting the dog out. Dogs lick any water source on the ground.