MORAY PET OWNERS are being urged to ensure that their pets’ vaccinations are fully up to date after a confirmed case of leptospirosis was detected in the Grampian region.
A highly contagious condition, leptospirosis is a fatal infection that brought about the death of a dog in Aberdeen.
It is a condition that is understood to have been suffered by Molly, the Breton Spaniel that went missing from its home in Elgin in November last year. Molly had been brought from a Spanish rescue centre but ran away while out walking in Cooper Park – she has never been found.
Molly is believed to have been under treatment for the disease at the time of her going missing – now a PDSA senior vet at the Aberdeen Pets Hospital, Fiona Cregge, is urging owners to be aware of the condition after it turned up in Aberdeen.
She said: “Leptospirosis is quite rare – the bacteria are spread through the urine of an infected animal, often rats. Flooding can increase the risk of contracting the disease, which causes symptoms including vomiting, jaundice, lethargy, fever and organ failure, and even with treatment it is often fatal.
“It’s incredibly sad to see a pet suffering like that, especially when a quick vaccination or booster could have prevented this.”
Leptospirosis is zoonotic, which means it can be passed from animals to humans, although the chances of this happening are very small.