Rain and rats to blame for more dogs in Singapore being infected with leptospirosis, vets say

Beecroft Animal Specialist and Emergency Hospital along Alexandra Road used to see one confirmed case every three months, but has handled at least one every month in the past six months. 

Veterinarian specialist Anne-Claire Duchaussoy stressed that leptospirosis was not a new disease.

“We are also more aware of it so we are more proactive in identifying and detecting it,” she said, though the vet added that some of the recent cases were more unusual, presenting signs of chronic hepatitis rather than the classic acute urinary signs such as renal failure. 

WHAT CAN DOG OWNERS DO?

Given the heavy rainfall of recent times, dog owners should avoid wet soil and puddles when walking their pets, vets said. 

They should also avoid areas which are home to rats, such as back alleys, said Paws N’ Claws’ Dr Lam. 

Early detection and treatment is also key to avoid fatality.

If, in a classic leptospirosis case, the acute renal disease is advanced, the mortality rate is more than 50 per cent, said Beecroft’s Dr Duchaussoy. Generally, mortality rate ranges between 10 per cent and 30 per cent. 

“In most renal cases it is not a disease you can treat at home with antibiotics, it would delay effective treatment and give more time for the disease to progress to an irreversible point.”

Given that leptospirosis can present generic symptoms, owners should simply seek veterinary attention if their dogs are behaving out of sorts, said principal veterinarian of Amber Vet Group Brian Loon. 

He also suggested that owners in landed properties cover the entrances of drains leading to sewers, to miminise the risk of rats entering homes. 

Suspected cases will undergo a physical examination, blood tests and other diagnostics to confirm the disease. During hospitalisation, dogs will be isolated, with food, medical equipment and a disposal system separate from the rest of the clinic or hospital.

Dogs with suspected or confirmed leptospirosis should receive prompt antibiotic therapy and supportive care, which is tailored depending on the organ affected and its severity, said Paws N’ Claws’ Dr Lam.

Treatment may include intravenous fluid therapy, a feeding tube placement for nutrition and urinary catheter placement. 

All the vets CNA spoke to stressed the importance of vaccination and keeping up with yearly boosters.

While the vaccination does not prevent a dog from being infected, it can lessen the severity of symptoms and reduce the risk of spreading the infection, said Dr Loon. 

“On one hand it’s a very treatable disease if the dog is not that severely infected; if it’s diagnosed early, there are effective antibiotics to treat it. 

“But on the other hand if it is not treated or if it is treated late, especially if they are not vaccinated … it can cause enough damage to kidneys and/or liver to be life threatening.”