Companion Animal Welfare

Dog Welfare and Canine Leptospirosis Prevention

Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal bacterial disease of dogs transmitted through rat urine in contaminated water. Vaccination and hygiene practices effectively prevent this serious welfare threat.

Key Facts

Leptospirosis causes acute kidney and liver failure with high mortality if untreated
Dogs are most at risk around canals, rivers and flood-prone agricultural land
Annual vaccination against multiple serovars including Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae is recommended
Rats are the primary reservoir of infection in the UK environment
Early antibiotic treatment significantly improves outcome if started before severe organ damage

Welfare Considerations

Leptospirosis causes rapid, severe organ failure and death in unvaccinated dogs. Preventive vaccination is straightforward and highly effective, making this serious welfare event largely preventable.

What You Can Do

Keep annual leptospirosis vaccination up to date, particularly for dogs in high-risk environments
Avoid allowing dogs to drink from stagnant or slow-moving water
Seek urgent veterinary attention if your dog develops fever, jaundice or acute illness after water exposure