Deadly bacteria left Texas pet blind in one eye

She tells MySA her veterinarian diagnosed Apollo with Leptospirosis, a deadly infectious disease, on July 22.

Leptospirosis or Lepto is caused by a type of bacteria called Leptospira. It causes serious damage to the kidney and liver and may be fatal in severe cases, according to Dr. Danette Schweers, a veterinarian with My Pet’s San Antonio on Huebner. It can be treated with aggressive supportive care, IV fluids, and antibiotics. Some symptoms include loss of appetite, increase or decrease in urine and or vomiting. 

Isner says she noticed Apollo’s eyesight, which was affected by cataracts in utero, worsening before taking him to the veterinarian. She thought it was something else, as he’s vaccinated for Lepto. However, like all vaccines, it does not provide 100 percent protection and does not provide immunity against all strains, Schweers says.

Dogs are most at risk if they are active outdoors or in rural areas with wildlife, including skunks, raccoons, deer, wolves, opossums, and rats, Schweers says. The bacteria can be found in the urine of infected animals or stagnant water. 

Isner says Apollo frequently hikes with her at local parks, such as Belton Lakeview Park and other places near her home in Harker Heights. She says her veterinarian explained the disease attacked Apollo’s cataracts that caused him to go blind in one eye. Isner says the symptoms could have been worse if Apollo wasn’t vaccinated. 

“I was shocked by it all,” she says. “I didn’t learn about the disease because Apollo has always been vaccinated. I didn’t know that it was possible to get other strains of the disease even with a vaccine. It’s a pretty gnarly [bacteria]. I’ve learned a lot about it since this whole thing happened. We are fortunate that his vision is the only thing that seems to have long-term effects from the [bacteria]. It’s been a wild, long ride.”

At her office, Schweers says she hasn’t seen an uptick in Lepto cases. She adds she can understand how the heavy rainfall might cause more movement in wildlife and the spread of the bacteria. While the vaccine doesn’t cover all strains, she says it’s important for dogs to get this vaccine, and its accompanying booster every year, especially if they hike or go outdoors. 

After going through the ordeal with Apollo, Isner says she now knows to follow several safety precautions to make sure it doesn’t happen to Apollo again or her other dogs. She also is urging others to as well.

“I want to help spread the message to prevent any other dog from passing away or becoming blind,” Isner says. “If I can help other people not have the same issues, that’s all that really matters to me.”

Schweers and Isner recommend the following tips for those who hike with their dogs:

• Avoid letting your pets drink out of standing water.
• Avoid interaction with urban or wildlife.
• Bring your own water bottles and travel bowls for your pets.
• Don’t let them lick their paws as much when outdoors in rural areas.
• Clean their feet off when done walking or hiking.
• Get them vaccinated. 

The Animal Care Shelter does not include the Lepto shot in their vaccinations, according to public information officer Lisa Norwood. She says the shelter has a diverse population of dogs with an unknown vaccine history, and they administer shots on what they commonly see in the community, such as distemper, intestinal parasites, parvo, and rabies. 

Norwood adds they aren’t testing for Lepto as they aren’t discovering dogs with clinical signs of the disease. She says they are finding more cases of distemper, parvo, and ringworms at this time.

However, ACS does recommend meeting with a private veterinarian for those concerned about Lepto. For those looking for a veterinarian, ACS has a search tool to find your closest one. Click here for more info.