Angell Animal Medical Center Provides Life-Saving Treatment to 3-Month-Old Puppy

Zico Recovering from Leptospirosis—A Bacterial Infection that Affects Animals and Humans

BOSTON, September 3, 2026 – It’s no secret that puppies are typically full of energy, so when a 3-month-old Bernedoodle became unusually tired, lost interest in food, and developed stomach upset, his family knew something wasn’t right.

Zico was brought to his primary care veterinarian where bloodwork showed that his kidney and liver values were severely abnormal. Based on these findings and his symptoms, he was referred to Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston for specialized care and further evaluation. Once he arrived, he was diagnosed with leptospirosis—a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection.

“Leptospirosis is especially prevalent this time of year because warmer temperatures and rainfall create ideal conditions for the bacteria to survive, and pets often spend more time outside,” said Dr. Nyla Bent, an internal medicine specialist who treated Zico at the MSPCA-Angell in Boston.

She went on to say, “The bacteria is spread by wildlife, with rodents and deer being the most common carriers. Pets are often infected after coming into contact with contaminated water, soil, or plants.”

“One of the challenges with leptospirosis is that the symptoms can be broad and mimic many other illnesses,” Dr. Bent noted. “Luckily, Zico’s family recognized he wasn’t acting like himself and brought him in when they did.”

Angell Animal Medical Center has a state-of-the-art veterinary pathology laboratory onsite. It’s one of the only veterinary hospitals in the Northeast to offer these services, most recently expanding its capabilities to include microbiology.

“Having access to this kind of service allowed us to quickly perform specialized testing for leptospirosis, confirm our suspicions, and begin treating Zico right away,” said Dr. Bent.

Zico was started on supportive care and antibiotics, but according to Dr. Bent, by the next morning, Zico was no longer producing urine, meaning the leptospirosis had progressed, and more aggressive treatment was needed.

Steady Progress After Advanced Treatment

“In cases like Zico’s, where kidney failure is present, we recommend hemodialysis,” explained Dr. Bent. “Much like in human medicine, hemodialysis removes harmful waste from the blood when the kidneys aren’t working properly. While the process and equipment used for hemodialysis are similar to those used in human medicine, veterinary patients require carefully tailored dialysis prescriptions to ensure treatment is both safe and effective.”

At Angell Animal Medical Center, hemodialysis can be used performed using the Prismaflex^TM for patients weighing more than 3.75 kilograms, the machine used in Zico’s case. The hospital also is able to perform hemodialysis in smaller patients, using the Carpediem^TM (Cardio-Renal Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine), a specialized system designed for patients with lower blood volumes.

Hemodialysis is just one of the extracorporeal therapies offered—the hospital also provides hemoperfusion, a rapid method to remove toxins in cases of ingestion or overdose, as well as therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) to remove harmful substances from the bloodstream.

“We’re fortunate to have this level of advanced care available for our patients and give them every chance possible to overcome serious illnesses,” Dr. Bent stated. “In Zico’s case, it truly made all the difference.”

After spending a couple of days in Angell Animal Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit receiving round-the-clock care, Dr. Bent and the rest of Zico’s dedicated team began to see steady signs of improvement.

“We’ve seen more of Zico’s personality shine through as he regains strength,” said Dr. Bent. “He’s now producing urine, eating and wagging his tail, and his kidney values are trending in the right direction.”

She went on to say, “Caring for Zico has been a team effort, and we’re all looking forward to the day he gets to go home and simply be a happy, normal puppy again with the people who love him.”

Finding Comfort in Care While Looking Forward to the Future

Zico continues to receive supportive care and is expected to be discharged from the hospital this weekend. Until then, his family is finding comfort in the regular updates they receive from his care team—including a photo of Zico watching a movie while receiving treatment.

“We can’t thank Zico’s team enough for their expertise and communication throughout this process,” said Zico’s owner, Danielle Makarious. “Whether it was speaking to his doctors, working with their insurance coordinator to understand our options, or receiving updates from his client care team, everyone took the time to explain things every step of the way. Their compassion helped ease our worries during an incredibly difficult time.”

When asked what they’re looking forward to most once Zico returns home, his family said, “We’re looking forward to puppy hikes this fall, lots of snuggles, and teaching him to play fetch. We never expected this to happen, and we can’t wait to have him back.”

Angell Animal Medical Center offers specialty services in Boston and Waltham, including 24/7 emergency care. Learn more at angell.org.