What are the signs of leptospirosis?
Many infections go undetected, but many other cases can be life-threatening. There are three main forms of the disease: hemorrhagic (bleeding), icteric (liver), and renal (kidney). In the hemorrhagic disease there is early high fever with lethargy and loss of appetite. Multiple small hemorrhages occur in the mouth and on the whites of the eyes. Bloody diarrhea and vomiting may occur. This form is often fatal. The jaundice form begins much like the hemorrhagic form, and many of the signs are the same. It differs in the presence of a yellow color (jaundice or icterus) in the mouth and whites of the eyes. In severe cases in dogs with white hair, the skin will turn yellow. The renal form causes kidney failure. These dogs are very lethargic, anorectic, and experience vomiting. Their mouth may have a very offensive odor, and the ulcers often develop on the tongue. This form may be fatal, but recovered dogs often have chronic kidney disease. How common is leptospirosis? This disease is not co
