Lepto Vaccine: to give or not to give.............
Central Illinois Sheltie Rescue has recently taken a stand on the controversial "Lepto" vaccine. We have never given this vaccine to our Shelties, but have not spoken out on it either....until now.
Now...with yet another death from the reaction to this vaccine, we are now taking a public stand on NOT giving this vaccine to your Sheltie. Not all Shelties will react to this vaccine, however enough Shelties have-- that it is worth mentioning here on our site. Seizures, fever, flu-like symptoms, lethargy, liver and kidney failure .....and even death has all been reported from giving the "Lepto" vaccine.
The disease "Lepto" aka: Leptospirosis is a very serious disease in dogs and people. There are many (over 200 worldwide) strains of this disease, and the vaccines available today only cover 4 of the most common ones.
Q. "How do I know what is in the shot my Vet gives my dog?"
A. "ASK"
Most Dogs are vaccinated with a combo shot. The shot will be called something like DHLPP or DALPP The "L" usually stands for Lepto.
Now... on the flip side............ Lepto is spread by contact with the urine of infected wild animals. Raccoons, fox, coyotes, cows and other undomesticated animals all can carry it. Lakes, streams and wooded areas are the most common places to come in contact with Lepto infected urine. If you plan on taking your dog "camping" or "hiking" in places that are known to have wildlife... you may want to give the Lepto Vaccine before you go. However... discuss the Lepto Vaccine with your Veterinarian FIRST. Then if you do decide to vaccinate for Lepto, we strongly urge you to give it as a separate vaccine, and NOT in combination with other vaccines. Then, make sure to stay with your dog for the next 10-24 hours to watch for a bad reaction. You may even want to leave the dog with your Vet if you cannot watch your dog during this time.
Our recommendation is to ASK questions and discuss this with your Vet BEFORE you let anyone give this vaccine to your Sheltie.
