Leptospirosis in Dogs and Cats: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

TL;DR. Leptospirosis is a severe, zoonotic bacterial infection that primarily attacks the kidneys and liver of dogs, causing acute organ failure, but it can be successfully treated if caught early.

Standing water and outdoor puddles are common sources of Leptospira bacteria.

What is it?

Leptospirosis is a complex, systemic infectious disease caused by pathogenic spiral-shaped bacteria known as spirochetes, specifically belonging to the species Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri. These unique, corkscrew-shaped bacteria are highly mobile, allowing them to penetrate mucous membranes and compromised skin with ease. Once they gain entry into the host's body, they rapidly multiply within the bloodstream before migrating to and colonizing major organ systems, with a particular affinity for the kidneys and the liver.

In the kidneys, the bacteria invade the renal tubular epithelial cells, leading to severe interstitial nephritis, cell death, and acute kidney injury. In the liver, the infection disrupts the cellular architecture, causing hepatic dysfunction, inflammation, and impaired bile flow. This dual-organ targeting makes leptospirosis one of the most devastating infectious diseases in veterinary medicine, capable of causing rapid, multi-organ failure.

While dogs are the primary domestic species affected by this disease, cats can also contract the infection. However, clinical leptospirosis in cats is exceptionally rare. Most infected cats remain asymptomatic or experience only mild, self-limiting illness, acting as subclinical carriers. Because of this, much of our clinical understanding, diagnostic criteria, and treatment protocols for felines are extrapolated from canine medicine.

Understanding leptospirosis is critical for pet owners not only because of its severity in pets but also because it is a zoonotic disease. This means the bacteria can be transmitted from animals to humans, posing a significant public health risk to the entire household.

Causes & risk factors

The primary source of leptospirosis is the urine of infected wildlife, which acts as the natural reservoir for the bacteria. Common reservoir hosts include rodents (such as rats and mice), raccoons, opossums, foxes, skunks, and deer. When these animals urinate in soil, puddles, ponds, or slow-moving streams, the bacteria can survive in the environment for weeks or even months, provided the conditions remain warm and humid.

Pets typically contract the disease through direct contact with infected urine or, more commonly, through indirect contact with contaminated water or soil. Activities such as drinking from puddles, swimming in ponds, or walking through wet grass and subsequently grooming their paws are common routes of exposure. The bacteria enter the body through mucous membranes (such as the gums, nose, or eyes) or through minor cuts and abrasions on the skin.

According to a leading veterinary internal medicine reference:

"Clinical cases are most commonly diagnosed in the summer and early fall, and numbers of cases often increase in years with heavy rainfall. Infection by host-adapted species results in subclinical infection; the host acts as a reservoir, shedding the organism intermittently. Infection by non–host-adapted species results in clinical illness."

This distinction between host-adapted and non-host-adapted species is crucial. When a pet is infected by a strain of bacteria for which they are the natural host, they may show no outward signs of illness but will continuously shed the bacteria in their urine, contaminating the environment. When infected by a non-host-adapted strain, severe clinical illness occurs.

Leptospira bacteria primarily target and damage the kidneys and liver of dogs.

Signs to watch for

The clinical signs of leptospirosis can vary dramatically depending on the severity of the infection, the specific strain (serovar) involved, and the pet's immune response. Some pets experience a sudden, overwhelming infection (peracute), while others develop a more gradual, subacute or chronic illness.

Common Signs

• Fever and Lethargy: A sudden spike in body temperature accompanied by extreme tiredness, depression, and reluctance to move.
• Gastrointestinal Distress: Vomiting, diarrhea, and a complete loss of appetite (anorexia), leading to rapid weight loss and dehydration.
• Urinary Changes: Increased drinking (polydipsia) and increased urination (polyuria) as the kidneys lose their ability to concentrate urine.
• Jaundice (Icterus): A yellowing of the gums, whites of the eyes, or skin, indicating severe liver involvement and impaired bile excretion.
• Abdominal Changes: Fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), abdominal pain, and enlargement of the kidneys (renomegaly) or liver (hepatomegaly) detectable during a veterinary exam.
• Bleeding Tendencies (Coagulopathy): Pinpoint red spots on the gums or skin (petechiae), larger bruises (ecchymoses), nosebleeds (epistaxis), or dark, tarry stools containing digested blood (melena). These signs occur due to blood vessel damage (vasculitis) and low platelet counts.
• Muscle Pain: Reluctance to move, stiffness, or generalized soreness, particularly over the lower back or hind limbs.

Occasional Signs

• Respiratory Issues: Coughing or labored, rapid breathing (dyspnea), which can indicate pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome—a highly severe complication.
• Eye Inflammation: Inflammation of the inner eye (anterior uveitis or panuveitis), which can cause redness, squinting, or cloudiness.

As noted in leading veterinary literature:

"Peracute infections may rapidly progress to death before marked renal or hepatic disease is recognized. Fever, depression, and clinical signs or physical examination findings consistent with hemorrhagic syndromes, hepatic disease, renal disease, or a combination of hepatic and renal disease are common in subacutely infected dogs."

Jaundice, or yellowing of the gums, is a common sign of liver involvement in leptospirosis.

How vets diagnose it

Diagnosing leptospirosis requires a combination of clinical suspicion, physical examination findings, and specialized laboratory testing. Because the symptoms can mimic other causes of kidney or liver failure, your vet will perform several diagnostic steps to confirm the presence of the bacteria.

• Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT): This is the traditional gold standard serology test. It measures the level of antibodies in your pet's blood against various strains (serovars) of Leptospira. Because antibodies take time to develop, your vet may need to run this test twice—once during the acute phase of illness and again 2 to 4 weeks later—to look for a rising antibody level (titer).
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): This molecular test detects the actual DNA of the bacteria. It is highly useful in the early stages of infection before the pet has developed measurable antibodies. PCR is typically performed on both blood and urine samples. Importantly, recent vaccination does not interfere with PCR results.
• Urine and Blood Cultures: Culturing the bacteria from blood or urine provides a definitive diagnosis, though it is technically challenging, slow, and rarely used for rapid clinical decision-making.
• Darkfield or Phase-Contrast Microscopy: This allows direct visualization of the active, swimming spirochetes in fresh urine samples, though it requires specialized equipment and expertise.
• Silver Staining of Biopsy Specimens: If a kidney or liver biopsy is performed, special silver stains can highlight the spiral bacteria within the tissue samples under a microscope.

Treatment options

Treatment for leptospirosis is two-pronged: eliminating the bacterial infection and providing intensive supportive care to protect the kidneys and liver.

First-Line Antibiotic Therapy

Antibiotics must be started immediately upon suspicion of leptospirosis.

• Aminopenicillins (Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin/Clavulanate): These are typically administered first, often intravenously if the pet is vomiting. They are highly effective at rapidly clearing the bacteria from the bloodstream and stopping the acute replication of the organism.
• Tetracyclines (Doxycycline): Once the pet's gastrointestinal symptoms have stabilized, a two-week course of doxycycline is mandatory. While aminopenicillins clear the blood, only doxycycline can reliably eliminate the bacteria from the renal tubules (kidneys), preventing the pet from becoming a chronic carrier and shedding the bacteria into the environment.

Second-Line Antibiotic Therapy

• Fluoroquinolones (Enrofloxacin): If the pet cannot tolerate first-line antibiotics or if there are specific contraindications, fluoroquinolones may be utilized as an alternative therapy.

Supportive Care

Most pets with clinical leptospirosis require hospitalization for aggressive supportive care.

• Fluid Therapy: Intravenous fluids are critical to correct dehydration, maintain blood pressure, and flush toxins from the kidneys.
• Intense Diuresis: If the kidneys have suffered acute damage and are producing little to no urine, specialized fluid protocols and medications may be required to stimulate urine production.
• Hemodialysis: In severe cases of acute kidney injury where the kidneys fail completely, hemodialysis may be necessary to filter the blood artificially, giving the kidneys time to heal.

As detailed in veterinary internal medicine texts:

"Fluid therapy is required for most dogs; intense diuresis for renal involvement may be required... Hemodialysis may increase survival rates by supporting the patient through the period of acute renal failure."

Prognosis

The prognosis for leptospirosis is highly variable and depends heavily on how quickly the infection is diagnosed and treated.

For pets with peracute infections, the disease can progress so rapidly that death occurs before therapy can take effect. However, for dogs and cats that receive prompt, aggressive veterinary care and appropriate antibiotic therapy, the survival rate is generally favorable, with many returning to a normal quality of life.

Some survivors may suffer permanent damage to their organs. These individuals can develop chronic active hepatitis (ongoing liver inflammation) or chronic kidney disease. These chronic conditions require lifelong veterinary monitoring, specialized diets, and ongoing medical management to maintain a good quality of life.

Prevention

Preventing leptospirosis involves a combination of vaccination, environmental management, and hygiene.

• Vaccination: Highly effective vaccines are available for dogs. Modern vaccines protect against the four most common serovars of the bacteria. Because the vaccine's immunity can wane faster than other core vaccines, annual revaccination is recommended for at-risk dogs. There is currently no approved leptospirosis vaccine for cats.
• Environmental Control: Minimize your pet's exposure to wildlife reservoirs. Keep your yard free of garbage and food sources that attract rodents or raccoons. Avoid letting your dog drink from, swim in, or play near standing water, puddles, or slow-moving streams, especially during the late summer and autumn.
• Hygiene and Zoonotic Safety: If your pet is diagnosed with or suspected of having leptospirosis, wear gloves when handling their urine, wash your hands thoroughly, and disinfect contaminated areas with a diluted bleach solution. Avoid contact with your pet's urine until they have completed their full course of doxycycline.

When to call your vet

Leptospirosis is a veterinary emergency with an urgency rating of 5 out of 5. You should contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet displays any of the following red flags:

• Sudden, severe lethargy or reluctance to move
• Unexplained vomiting, diarrhea, or refusal to eat
• A noticeable yellow tint to the gums, eyes, or skin (jaundice)
• A sudden change in urination habits (either urinating constantly or not at all)
• Unexplained bruising, pinpoint red spots on the gums, or nosebleeds
• Difficulty breathing or persistent coughing

Early intervention is the single most important factor in saving a pet's life and preventing long-term organ damage.

For specific breeds

While leptospirosis can infect any dog regardless of breed, clinical data indicates that Mixed Breed dogs are frequently diagnosed. This may be due to a variety of factors, including lifestyle, outdoor exposure, and overall population demographics. It is vital to understand that breed does not confer immunity; any dog with outdoor access, exposure to wildlife habitats, or contact with standing water is at equal risk of contracting this serious disease.

Sources

• Internal Medicine, 5th Edition, pages 1354, 1355.