'It can affect everybody': Vet urges North East to be vigilant over disease

Three dogs have been treated at Family Vet Centre in Albury and Wodonga for leptospirosis in the last six months, a bacterial disease most commonly spread from the urine of infected rodents.

Veterinarian Dr Chris Wolmarans says the disease is a zoonosis, meaning it can pass on from animals to humans.

"We certainly would recommend, when there's one dog diagnosed in the household, that other dogs get tested as well," he said.

"And we would also suggest that the clients seek medical advice.

"Certainly in the early stages of the disease, in humans, there's very efficient treatment available and certainly would recommend people to seek that advice."

Symptoms in animals include general lethargy, before progressing to vomiting, diarrhoea and jaundice, with the disease targeting the kidneys and liver.

The mortality rate for dogs is 40 per cent.

"It's an acute onset. We certainly have found dogs that have gone downhill over about three days, and unvaccinated dogs are at higher risk," Dr Wolmarans said.

"There is currently a vaccine available for people in the North East and the Riverina. It's a commercially available leptospirosis vaccine.

"And we would certainly encourage people to have that discussion with their vets to see if that's something that's appropriate for their pets."

Since being rediscovered in Australia in 2017, case numbers are increasing. Areas with high rodent activity or stagnant water pools are at higher risk.

Any identified case of leptospirosis must be reported, however Dr Wolmarans is worried there are cases in the region that are not being diagnosed.

"Have that conversation with your vet or with your healthcare professional, but certainly do not think that leptospirosis is only contained to certain industries, like farmers and abattoir workers," he said.

"It can affect everybody, and it has affected dogs in town and out of town.

"So it's really common. And we think that it's good to be aware of that and having that conversation with those professionals."