Don’t Let Fido Drink Standing Water

If you’ve ever been out on a walk with your dog and wondered if it was okay for them to have a drink out of a puddle or little pond, we’ve got your answer.

No.

It is not a good idea to let your dog drink from standing water. Leptospirosis is a disease that your pup can contract from drinking sitting water.

What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis, or Lepto for short, is a bacterial infection that enters the bloodstream from the mucous membranes which is the tissue that lines the nose, mouth, and eyes.

The bacteria are present in an area due to infected animals urinating. Many dogs can become infected by sniffing through the grass or vegetation to sniff another animal’s latest bathroom break.

It can also commonly be contracted in standing water. Stagnant water promotes the multiplication of bacteria to create cesspools of lepto.

How to Know if Your Dog Has Lepto

The disease often comes on slowly with just a bit of lethargy and an increase in water consumption. It can look like a lot of other diseases so it often gets misdiagnosed. This is a major issue because, without proper treatment, Lepto can be lethal to pets.

While the two most common symptoms are lethargy and water consumption, they may also have liver failure, kidney failure, or both.

Your pet will need blood work and a urinalysis to begin the process of diagnosing but many special tests will have to be run in order to confirm the diagnosis.

How to Treat Lepto

Most dogs respond quickly to Lepto treatment, which usually entails antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Depending on the severity of your dog’s case, a hospital stay may be necessary to provide intravenous rehydrating fluids and nausea meds.

The best way to prevent your dog from getting Lepto is to be mindful of where they stick their nose and where they are drinking water from. If you catch the signs early, most dogs make a full recovery and live long lives after a Lepto diagnosis.