Officials: Get Your Pets Vaccinated Against Potentially Deadly Disease

Protecting pets against the potentially fatal infection leptospirosis is relatively simple and pets can be vaccinated against it.

Five dogs were diagnosed with the disease at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Paramus recently, a number that is higher than usual. Two of the dogs died, said Dr. Ben Davidson, medical director at BluePearl, although he could not say when they died.

Three more were treated for the disease at Bergen County Veterinary Center and at least three more at Oradell Animal Hospital, NJ.com reported.

RELATED: Several Bergen County Dogs Diagnosed With Deadly Disease

Leptospirosis is transmitted to dogs and other animals through infected urine from rats and other rodents. It can be transmitted to humans.

There is a vaccine for the disease, although it does not provide "100 percent protection," the CDC said.

Dogs come into contact with the bacteria when they drink or walk through standing water that contains the infected bacteria.

"With early treatment, the prognosis is good," Davidson said. "Infected dogs will need to be hospitalized and some pets will need to stay in the Intensive Care Unit.

Infected bacteria may release the disease for as long as three months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states. The disease can lead to organ failure, most notably of the kidneys and liver.

"If the pet develops kidney failure, they may need hemodialysis, but even in these pets the outcome is often favorable."

The CDC recommends the following safeguards to prevent people from becoming infected:

• Do not handle or come into contact with urine, blood or tissues from an infected pet before it is treated.
• Wear gloves, boots and other protective clothing if you need to have contact with animal tissues or urine.
• Wash your hands after handling an infected pet or anything that might have the pet's excrement on it.
• Use an antibacterial cleaning solution of one part bleach and 10 parts water on surfaces that have infected urine on them.

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