Lepto: Bacteria at Brooklyn dog runs linked to pet deaths

lepto alert! we get our dogs vaccinated, cause they go to the park -- but I guess it's not standard yet . . .

http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/07/bacteria_at_brooklyn_dog_runs.html

Bacteria at Brooklyn dog runs linked to pet deaths

Parker died by playing in the places he loved.

The 6-year-old rat terrier dog is believed to have caught Leptospirosis, a fast-moving illness transmitted through water infected by rat or mice urine. Doctors suspect that the dog contracted the disease from one of North Brooklyn's dog runs, which have been awash in mud and stagnant puddles during June's heavy rains.

Within days, Parker went from scampering in his Williamsburg home, to suffering from kidney failure so severe that he had to be euthanized last Sunday.

rest of the story:
http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/07/bacteria_at_brooklyn_dog_runs.html

Don't just get the vaccine...read about it and discuss it with your vet.

It's not standard b/c there are no good studies showing that it actually works last time I searched and talked to our vets about it. It's a personal decision since (luckily) it's not a required shot in NYC.

Lepto is real and can be bad for dogs, I'm not arguing with that. I just like to avoid unnecessary shots for my pup.