Leptospirosis is common during monsoon! Are dog owners prone to this disease?

There is no denying the fact that apart from making the weather pleasant, the monsoon season brings along a plethora of health issues. And while we were taking all the precautions to keep all the diseases at bay, rarely we have been informed that the rainy season might also be harmful to our furry friends.

One such fatal disease is Leptospirosis which commonly affects dogs. You must be wondering why all of a sudden we are talking about leptospirosis.

This is because it is a fatal zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted naturally from animals to humans and is caused by bacteria that can result in kidney and liver failure.

The disease is usually transmitted through the urine of the infected animals. While spreading awareness is one of the main prevention of the disease, there are few precautions that you as an owner of a pet can do.

In a candid conversation with the Hindustan Times, Dr. Divya Gopal, Consultant of Internal Medicine at Mumbai’s Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, explained the precautions that human beings can take against the disease.

The HT quoted Dr. Divya as saying, “The risk of acquiring leptospirosis can be greatly reduced by not swimming or wading in water that might be contaminated with animal urine and eliminating contact with potentially infected animals.”

She added, “Protective clothing or footwear should be worn by those exposed to contaminated water or soil because of their job or recreational activities. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are of utmost importance.”

Detailing the symptoms of the deadly disease among the pet parents, Dr. Sulaiman Ladhani, Consulting Chest Physician, MD Chest and Tuberculosis at Mumbai’s Masina Hospital explained that the disease can be asymptomatic as well as can also exhibit “severe illness”.

Dr. Sulaiman said that you can identify the disease with symptoms like:

• Fever
• Lack of appetite
• Shivering
• Sore muscles
• Reluctance to move with stiffness in muscles and legs
• Increased thirst and urination
• Rapid dehydration
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Dark gums
• Yellowness of skin
• Swelling of the mucus membrane

Dr. Sulaiman further advised that if you doubt your furry friend contracting the disease, they must immediately be taken to the veterinarian. Moreover, if your dog is being treated for the disease, it is ideal that you use a glove while handling your pet’s fluid and waste products.

Children should be kept away from the infected animal. He added that the areas, wherever your pet urinated or vomited should be disinfected thoroughly.

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