Dog owners, check with your vet

[China_cat]

before your next vaccinations are due. The leptospirosis that has come out of the Katrina affected areas is NOT affected by the vaccines you have been getting. A new form is being given and since it is a new form, your dogs will need a booster 3 weeks after the original shot.

This is an important vaccine to get because lepto can easily be passed to humans and is a serious disease that can cause liver and kidney failure.

[Phentex]

1. Why haven't I heard of this before?

This is the first time my dogs have been given this vaccine. How long has it been around?

[China_cat]

2. The old lepto vaccine

was included in their DLPT shots. The new vaccine has just come out.

Lepto has been around forever. Used to be called swine fever, swamp fever or mud fever.

[ehrnst]

3. Do you have a link to a press release or other doc that I can pass around

to fosters in my rescue group?

[China_cat]

4. Came directly from my vet

on Wed. when we took the little dog in for blood work prior to a dental. Some of the stuff I've found online

http://www.labbies.com/lepto.htm
http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/leptovaccine.htm