The dog illness leptospirosis tends s commonly associated with remote areas, but it's on the rise in Massachusetts and veterinarians say it could happen anywhere.
It was really quick onset of my dog...We don’t really know what she got into but, we really thought that she was going to die,” Katherine Tenney.
When Katherine Tenney's Pomeranian Chihuahua mix Casey got sick two years ago, her family had no idea what leptospirosis was.
"I never got my dog vaccinated - it was never really offered at our vet,” she said.
But when she took her to the vet, she learned all about the disease, which is more commonly called Lepto. It's a bacterial infection that all mammals can get, but it can be deadly in dogs. Thankfully Casey survived, but she was lucky.
"If they get sick, it can be very dangerous. Can go to their liver, kidneys, can cause renal failure,” said Erin Carey.
Carey is a veterinarian at Back Bay Veterinary Clinic and recommends the vaccine for most dogs. The bacteria spreads through urine and can live in polluted water.
"That’s where we think about the puddles in the alleys and the dogs who come along and sniff the puddles and drink out of them...That’s where we really see a danger from lepto," said Carey.
Massachusetts is seeing more cases of lepto in dogs than in the past. According to the state's Department Of
Public Health, there’s been an uptick each year since 2014.
"It’s not what we consider one of the core vaccinations...Rabies distemper parvo, but it is something we encourage all of our clients to think about,” said Carey.
Tenney tries to spread that same message to everyone, knowing firsthand just how brutal it can be.
"Losing a companion is the worst thing ever, so I would definitely recommend getting any dog vaccinated,” she said.
Lepto can be transmitted from animals to humans and while it’s not deadly, it can cause kidney and liver damage.