Lulu Sickened by Leptospirosis—Infection that Runs Rampant in Summer Months
BOSTON, Sept. 3, 2024 – Imagine this—it is a hot day, so you take your puppy to a park with a pond to play and cool off. Your pup frolics happily in the water and sporadically takes a drink. After an hour or so, you go home, your young dog happy and tired from an exciting afternoon.
A couple days later, the worst happens. Your puppy starts to throw up and loses her appetite. She is lethargic and in pain. You do not know what is happening, so you take her to the veterinarian who diagnoses her with leptospirosis—a sometimes life-threatening bacterial infection that can cause kidney and liver failure.
“Leptospirosis can strike at any time of year, but it’s more likely to infect pets during warmer and more humid weather, which we’ve seen a lot of recently,” explained Dr. Shawn Kearns, small animal internal medicine specialist at Angell Animal Medical Center. “It’s hot outside, so people naturally take their dogs to water sources to cool down, which is really important to prevent heat stroke, but that’s also often where they get infected.”
“Leptospirosis is carried and spread by wildlife, including rodents, so any spaces we share with them may contain the bacteria,” Dr. Kearns added. “Young, unvaccinated puppies are especially vulnerable, but all dogs are susceptible—even those that are vaccinated.”
A ‘Challenging Diagnosis’
According to Dr. Kearns, it is often challenging for owners to immediately recognize Leptospirosis because its symptoms are generally non-specific, meaning the illness is often confused for something less serious.
“If your pet shows symptoms of Leptospirosis—vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite to name a few—it’s important to get them to the veterinarian quickly,” she said. “There are multiple life-threatening complications that can develop with the infection, and, when that happens, aggressive measures may be needed to try to save their life.”
“We’re fortunate at Angell [Animal Medical Center in Boston] to have the most cutting-edge technology that puts us in the best possible position to treat—and save—pets.”
New extracorporeal therapy at Angell—called CarpediemTM (Cardio-Renal Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine)—is designed to facilitate hemodialysis for smaller patients and requires less blood to be circulated, something that is problematic in treating pets with traditional hemodialysis machines modeled after those used with human adults.
And, it was a lifesaver for Lulu, a special patient of Dr. Kearns.
Cutting Edge Treatment Saves Young Puppy!
Lulu was just two-months-old when her worried owners brought her to Angell in May. Her local veterinarian had diagnosed her with Leptospirosis and referred her to the venerable hospital, where they were confident that she would get the lifesaving treatment she needed.
“Lulu was one of the first patients to use the new Carpediem system,” Dr. Kearns explained. “It took a few weeks, but she’s back to acting like a normal, healthy puppy and thriving in her home once again, something that would not have been possible without the hemodialysis she received from the Carpediem.”
Lulu’s owner, Andrew Tollison, agreed. “The team at Angell, especially Drs. Kearns and Picard, saved Lulu’s life. They were amazing at not only treating Lulu for [leptospirosis], but were highly communicative with us throughout her two weeks in the ICU,” he said, and added, “We can’t thank the team at Angell enough.”
More Advanced Technology Coming Soon
According to Dr. Kearns, Angell’s extracorporeal therapy unit will soon also have new technology to fight another danger to pets like Lulu—toxic poisoning.
“We just acquired a hemoperfusion machine, which can more quickly remove a lot of different toxins from pets of many different sizes, and, similarly to the Carpediem, it requires less donated blood.”
“Machines like these [hemoperfusion and Carpediem] are real game-changers in animal healthcare,” added Dr. Kearns, who is leading implementation of the new equipment along with Dr. Courtney Peck of Angell West.
Angell Animal Medical Center is one of only two specialty veterinary hospitals in New England with these machines, along with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
More information on Angell’s extracorporeal therapies and hemoperfusion may be found here.
Scary Illness Underscores Importance of Pet Insurance
Advanced treatments like Lulu’s are lifesaving, but can cost owners tens of thousands of dollars due to often prolonged hospitalizations and other associated care needed.
“As with human healthcare, advanced treatments can be expensive,” explained Harrison Stenson, licensed pet insurance coordinator at Angell Animal Medical Center. “Lulu’s story is a prime example of why it’s important to have insurance, so you’re covered should the worst happen.”
A 2023 MSPCA-Angell survey of 1,000 pet owners found that more than half of respondents do not have insurance, but would like to, with many respondents saying they were unable to determine how best to protect their pet.
“The pet insurance landscape right now is kind of like the Wild West, so it can be really intimidating,” Stenson added. “There are dozens of providers and plans, and it’s hard for people to even know where to start looking.”
“Luckily, I’m here to help sort through the chaos!”
Stenson will sit down and discuss options with Massachusetts-based pet owners, regardless of whether or not they are Angell clients. More information about pet insurance and how to get recommendations may be found at mspca.org/petinsurance.
