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Leptospirosis Outbreak in Sydney Suburbs

The infection is often contracted when the dog is exposed to infected rodent urine in ponds or wet soil in poorly drained areas.

AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS POST WAS SHARED IN NOVEMBER 2020, FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION PLEASE HEAD TO:
https://amaroovet.com.au/2020/11/19/2020-update-leptospirosis-outbreak-in-sydney-suburbs/

Sadly, there have been multiple fatalities in dogs due to a reported Leptospirosis outbreak in Sydney recently. Here are some facts you need to know.

What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis (often referred to as Lepto for short) is a bacterial infection that travels throughout the entire body via the blood stream, causing organ dysfunction/failure and internal bleeding. It can be fatal in as little as 48 hours.

What do I need to know?

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infection which means it can affect humans too.
There have been seven confirmed fatal cases in dogs so far, all of which have been reported in the Inner West suburbs of Sydney (Glebe, Surry Hills etc.)

How is it spread?

The bacteria favours warm, moist environments, ponds and stagnant water and areas exposed to flooding. The infection is often contracted when the dog is exposed to infected rodent urine in ponds or wet soil in poorly drained areas.

What can I do to minimize the risk to my dog?

We recommend avoiding taking your pets to these parts of Sydney where possible, however if your dog must travel there with you, there are vaccines available to cover them for Leptospirosis. Initially your dog will require two vaccines 2-4 weeks apart and then annual re-vaccination to maintain immunity. It is not safe to travel until the vaccination is in full effect – about 10 days after the second vaccination. Avoid any stagnant water or places where there has been flooding, keep your dog on lead when walking and DO NOT allow to swim in or drink dirty water.
Again, it is advisable to arrange alternative options where possible.

If you have upcoming travel plans to Sydney with your pets please phone us on 6203 2262 for more information.

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Patient Spotlight – Snow the Westie Pup

Snow the 4 month old Westie puppy

Snow was an active and excitable dog, as most 4 month old puppies are! One day when his owners arrived home they found him limping in the backyard, not placing any weight on his right hind leg. Worried, Snow’s owners brought him straight to our Hall branch for a consultation with Dr Jim Riach.

After a physical examination, Dr Jim recommended sedating Snow and taking some x-rays of his right hind leg as he was concerned about the possibility of a fracture.

Unfortunately Jim’s suspicions were correct; the x-rays showed that Snow had fractured the growth plate of his shin bone.  The growth plate is the area where the bone grows from and are weaker in puppies because they are actively growing, meaning that fractures in this area are more common in young puppies.  This type of fracture is called a ‘tibial crest avulsion fracture’. 

The image on the left shows the fracture (circled in red).  The image on the right is an x-ray of Snow’s left hind leg (not affected) for comparison.

Surgical repair is usually required to stabilize this kind of fracture, otherwise the quadriceps muscles continue to pull on the bone fragment and can move it out of place. 

The next day, Snow was transported here to Vets at Amaroo where Dr Vickie Saye performed the surgery. Surgery involved placement of 2 pins and figure of 8 tension band wires to hold the fractured bone in place.  The x-ray below is Snow’s leg after the surgery, which is taken to check the placement of the hardware.

X-ray of Snow’s right hind leg after surgery showing the hardware placed during surgery.

A stability bandage was placed and Snow was taken to recovery. Intravenous pain relief and TLC from our nurses ensured that he remained comfortable throughout the afternoon.

Snow the brave boy relaxing in recovery after his surgery.
Showing off his new bandage!

After a smooth recovery from surgery, Snow was taken to Canberra Veterinary Emergency Services for overnight monitoring. On return to Vets at Amaroo the following day Dr Vickie was impressed to see how well little Snow was doing, even trying to run around on his freshly-operated-on leg! He was discharged home with his owners on strict rest (tricky, we know) and wearing his party hat (cone of shame) to ensure he wouldn’t remove his bandage on his own accord!

It is always a good idea to have any mobility concerns i.e. limps etc checked by a vet as soon as possible after you notice them, in some cases it may not be anything very serious but in other cases it can be a sign of a fracture or worse. Give us a call on 6230 2262 if you have any concerns about your pet’s health.

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Hazardous Foods – The Top 10 Foods to Keep Your Pet Away From

We know how hard it can be to stay on top of which foods are good, bad, and plain dangerous to your animals.

That’s why we made a short video highlighting our top 10 foods to keep your pets away from!

If you’re ever unsure about something your pet has ingested, it is critical to call your veterinarian ASAP.  For more information, give us a call on 6230 2262.

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Online Booking is Live Now!

We’re excited to introduce you to your new friend, our online booking portal!

Say goodbye to the hassle of phoning during business hours and hello to a new world of convenience. Create appointments at the touch of a button, gain access to vital information such as your pets vaccination due dates and current weight and check booking details for your upcoming appointments. We hope you love it! You can check it out by CLICKING HERE.

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Anesthesia-free Dentistry and the risks to your pet

A thorough, effective and safe dental procedure without a general anaesthesia sounds too good to be true right? Well, unfortunately that’s because it is.

Unfortunately here in Australia some people are now advertising what they call ‘anaesthesia-free dentistry’. They offer to do ‘dentals’ or cleaning and scaling of pets’ teeth while the animal is fully conscious.

A recent article published by the Australian Veterinary Association outlines the many serious risks the pets’ undergoing such procedures are facing:

Here at Vets at Amaroo we offer Free Dental Check-Ups, this allows a qualified veterinarian to perform a thorough examination of your pets mouth. We will then provide you with a detailed treatment plan and home care advice tailored to your pet.

You can book your pets Free Dental Check-Up online by clicking here or by calling us on 6230 2262.