How many of you vaccinate for Lepto? With the recent cases in Michigan I have been thinking about it more. I have not in the past and don't live near Michigan. I truly believe that over vaccinating can contribute to health issues in our dogs so I vaccinate enough to keep the dogs safe, but as little as possible. Would love to have discussion on this.

I talked to a vet in Iowa (I'm in NY) and he said Lepto is on the rise, but don't do before 16 weeks, or after other vaccinations.

I live in NH and just had a client let me know this summer that their vet didn't vaccinate for Lepto and thier 1 1/2 year old pup contracted it. When the pup was brought in the vet insisted that the pup had been poisioned, and didn't test for Lepto until it was too late and the pup was put to sleep.

I don't do alot of vaccinations myself, but with so many issues on the rise now i think it needs to be considered as part of the program for those that don't vaccinate for it.

Here in the NE(central NY) Lepto has been on the rise for a few years. I've been vaccinating once a year and always separately. Even one of the vet tech's dogs died a couple of years ago from it. Not saying the vaccine prevents which type of Lepto your dog could contract, but I'd rather have it than not these days. I have lots of woods, small streams and tons of wildlife in my backyard.

I started a few years ago, despite lepto being relatively new/infrequent here in C. WA (dry/desert). The fact we had a few cases was the surprise, and when my vet realized that she had "dropped the ball on me" (I run hunt tests etc in W. WA where it's very common!), she got me on a Vanguard L-4 program so we are only giving the Lepto vaccine by itself, not in combination w/ any others. I just order or share a tray of L-4 w/ other local breeders now to keep costs down, but w/ her blessing. I wait until ~17 wks or so w/ my puppies to give them their first L-4, and then boost them 3-4 wks later, per label. 3-4 wks after that, I have my vet to rabies. So far, I've had no problems w/ the L-4 vaccine but have heard of more issues w/ the Fort Dodge product.

BTW, I had a 7 yo healthy pup in the LA area recently who I suspect came down w/ Lepto. The vet and owner have not been forthcoming w/ many details but symptoms were sudden onset-- vomitting, lethargy, no appetite (and that alone is alarming considering he was obese). I kept asking about Lepto and was just told it wasn't a problem there-- too dry. Well, I know there is wildlife in their yard as the one has caught possums, etc, and tried to bring them into the house thru the doggy door... all it takes is an affected rat or raccoon or whatever to pee someplace (dog water dish?) to infect the dogs. If anyone has heard of cases in the LA area, I'd love to know since I still have anotehr pup in that home. The affected one was PTS in a matter of just a few days of being sick, kidney numbers etc, out of whack. If not Lepto, I would suspect toxicity. Don't know what else could take a dog down that fast, and of course, they didn't do a necropsy.