The leptospirosis vaccine for dogs is designed to protect against leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by Leptospira bacteria. This disease can affect both animals and humans and is transmitted through contact with contaminated water, soil, or urine from infected animals.

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The country with the highest incidence of leptospirosis worldwide is Sri Lanka, followed by Thailand and India. Incidence in the US are remarkably lower.

 

The symptoms of leptospirosis can vary widely and may resemble other diseases, making it difficult to diagnose based on clinical signs alone. The most reliable testing is PCR and serologic tests.

 

Few states require the reporting of leptospirosis in canines. The NYC Health Department made canine leptospirosis reportable in 2006 and started receiving reports from veterinarians and one veterinary diagnostic laboratory in 2006. The average number of yearly cases of in New York is less than 20 cases a year. There are an estimated 600k dogs in New York, so this a very small percentage of cases.

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Canine and cattle vaccines for preventing leptospirosis are available in the United States, but human vaccines are not. Initial vaccination of dogs requires 2 doses, administered 2–4 weeks apart, with annual boosters to maintain immunity. Historically, vaccination was only recommended for dogs considered to be at increased risk for infection, based on geographic location or participation in activities that might expose them to infected animal urine. Geographically, Appalachia is considered the highest-risk region for canine leptospirosis in the contiguous United States; the upper Midwest and central Texas are also considered to be at increased risk (8). Lifestyle factors considered to increase dogs’ risk for exposure include contact with livestock or wildlife, time spent in kennel environments, and participation in activities that expose them to standing water or mud such as roaming farmland, hunting, hiking, or swimming (6,9). However, because of illness severity and zoonotic potential, consensus in the veterinary community is shifting to recommendation of vaccination for all dogs, and shortly after this outbreak ended, revised guidelines were published recommending that all dogs be vaccinated against leptospirosis, regardless of lifestyle or geographic location (6,10). The canine vaccine available in the United States covers four serovars: Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona (6).

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According to the Who organization, most dogs that are infected with lepto have a total lack of symptoms and the ones that are most risk to severe forms of the disease are puppies aged up to one year.

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Just google "Leptospirosis vaccine side effects" or join the Nobivac Lepto 4-our experiences Facebook group, and you'll find numerous well-researched dog owners sharing gut-wrenching stories of adverse effects and even deaths caused by this vaccine. I've heard that the vaccine has been improved, which is encouraging news;

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Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection, and vaccines are typically designed for viruses, not bacterial infections. The manufacturer's leaflet even states that the vaccine does not prevent dogs from contracting leptospirosis. Instead, it reduces the amount of bacteria the infected dog sheds into the environment (through their urine) for a few strains of leptospirosis (approximately 4 out of the 64 strains). From my understanding, the vaccines don't even target the 4 strains of leptospirosis that typically cause infections in animals.

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Here at Klaus Poodles, we feel so strongly about this issue that opting for this vaccine will void our health guarantee for our puppies. If your vet pushes this vaccine, they may be following generally accepted guidance from the pharmaceutical industry without doing detailed research. If you choose to go the route of this vaccine, we strongly encourage you to discuss the appropriate dosage and frequency for small breed dogs.

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References:

https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/260/13/javma.22.06.0258.xml

​Canine Leptospirosis - NYC Health

Human Leptopsirosis: Guidance for Diagnosis, Surveillance and Control

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