Sad News and a Health Warning

Panama Red at the Rainbow Bridge

On Sunday (August 18^th) we lost a very special pup.  Our very dear friend and fellow rescuer Kathie (my readers may know her as Aunt Kat), adopted Panama Red from us in 2005.  She had come over to donate some items from a pup she had lost a few months before.  When she sat down on the bench, Panama came running and leaped into her lap.  It was love at first leap.  J  Because of this Kathie became a close and very dear friend and our best volunteer.  Eventually she was named to our Board of Directors.

 

Panama Red Knomb Transportation

Kathie notified us on Wednesday that Panama was very ill and was at the emergency vet.  I stopped in to visit with him and Kathie on Thursday and I was in shock.  He looked like he had aged 10 years since I last saw him.  Kathie told me they thought he had Leptospirosis (Lepto), a bacterial infection with a host of different names: mud fever, swamp fever, haemorrhagic jaundice, swineherd's disease, sewerman's flu. All are known as Leptospirosis.  I had never heard of this disease.  The emergency vet had taken some blood and sent it up to the ISU Vet School to confirm their diagnosis. 

 

Panama Red Rescue Ambasador

On Friday I stopped in again to visit and they had confirmed the diagnosis, but his kidney’s had stopped functioning.  They were giving him Lasix and antibiotics and said it could take 2-3 days to see improvement.  I worked all day Saturday so I didn’t have a chance to visit.  Early Sunday morning we received a frantic call from Kathie.  It wasn’t good.  My husband and I immediately rushed to the vet.  Panama’s kidneys had shut down and his liver was failing.  There was blood in his urine and fluid on his lungs.  Kathie made a very difficult decision to end Panama’s suffering.  We were there with Kathie as he left for the Rainbow Bridge.

 

Panama Red Visiting Hours

The purpose of this blog is to inform my readers about this insidious disease.  Leptospirosis (also known as Weil’s Disease) is a bacterial infection that can attack the liver and kidneys.  Your pets can get it from dirty water that has been contaminated with urine from infected animals (i.e. squirrels, raccoons, mice, etc.).  They can also get it from sniffing the urine of an infected animal. 

 

Panama Red Sick Puppy

There is a vaccination pets can be given for this, although there are risks with this as well and it only covers a few strains.  Lepto was prevalent many years ago and the vaccine was given regularly.  Then cases died off so it was not part of regular vaccinations.  Over the last several years there has been a comeback of this disease.  Humans can get this disease from their pets and wild animals.  As a matter of fact, Olympic athlete, Andy Holmes, died from this disease in October of 2010.

 

Panama Red and Hubby

If you leave a water bowl outside for your pets, make sure you clean it daily…or more often if it becomes dirty.  Vomiting, fever, failure to eat, reduced urine output, unusually dark or brown urine, and lethargy are indications of the disease.  For humans, the disease begins with flu like symptoms (headache, high fever, vomiting, muscle aches, etc…).  The incubation period is 4-14 days for humans and 2-20 days for animals. 

Life Cycle of Leptospirosis

A diagnosis of Lepto can be confirmed with a blood test.  Treatment includes quarantine, antibiotics, and dialysis.  If you or your pet are experiencing any of these, go to the doctor.  This is not something you can blow off till later or you feel better.

 

 

Be Well, Be Happy, & Be Safe,

Pet~Pourri