Don’t Let Your Dog Drink Standing Water

Posted Mar 15, 2019 in Health & Safety

Often times when you find yourself out adventuring with your furry friend they may stop for a drink of water out of a nearby puddle or pond. If this is something you let your dog does, it’s a habit you need to break immediately. Drinking from standing water can cause Leptospirosis disease. To help you protect your dog and stay safe, we’ve gathered the necessary information and tips on how to protect your furry friend from Lepto. 

Leptospirosis, what it is and where it comes from 

Lepto is a disease that is frequently contracted by dogs drinking from standing water, such as puddles or ponds. A dog with Lepto will become extremely sick and can sometimes be fatal. This disease is a bacterial infection that enters your pup’s bloodstream. One reason a body of water could be infected is if an animal with Lepto would urinate in a body of water and in effect contaminating it. If an animal with Lepto even urinates on vegetation that your dog stiffs or puts their snout in they could contract Lepto. 

What animals carry Lepto

Many animals can be carriers of Lepto, including but not limited to raccoons, mice, and rats. This is important to be aware of considering that many dogs contract Lepto from other animals urine contaminating an area. Dogs can also pass Lepto to one another, even if a dog has recovered from the disease they can still be a carrier of it for a few weeks after they’re well again. 

Signs your dog may have Lepto 

Lepto usually comes on slowly so it can be hard to recognize its effects at first. It may start with some laziness and drowsiness at first as well as an increase in thirst. As the disease develops, those two symptoms will continue to increase in severity; leading to liver or kidney failure. Blood work is one of the only ways to know for sure if your dog has contracted this disease. There are also some individual tests run specifically for Lepto. 

Treating Lepto in dogs 

If your dog is diagnosed with Lepto, they will be administered penicillin-based antibiotics that usually kill the bacteria. Many dogs respond quickly once treated unless the disease has been left untreated for an extended period. If your pup is extremely sick, they may need to be admitted to receive fluids and other medications for symptoms they may have.

Protecting Fido from Lepto 

The best way to protect your furry friend from Lepto is to ensure they don’t drink outdoor water. This can be hard though because a thirsty dog will drink water wherever they may find it. To prevent this, keep water on you whenever you go on walks or hikes. This way you can provide your pup with clean, safe water. But since you have no way of knowing where other animals with Lepto have left their mark you can’t completely prevent your dog from sticking their nose in the wrong shrub. There are vaccines though that fight against Lepto, and you should have your pup get every year.

Keeping your dog completely safe can’t always be possible, but we can always try to prevent as much injury and danger as possible by being precautious and knowledgable.