We have recently had a few cases of leptospirosis, a nasty disease.

It is unusual since it is routinely vaccinated for in our dog population so should be one which we never see. Available vaccines effectively prevent leptospirosis and protect dogs for at least 12 months. Annual vaccination is recommended for all at-risk dogs.

So how do you know if your dog is at risk?

Well, if you take your dog out of the house, they are at risk, and here’s why:

Leptospirosis bacteria can be found worldwide in soil and water. It is more common in areas with warm climates and high annual rainfall, just like Bermuda. One very common carrier of this disease is rats, more specifically rat urine. So, where there are rats, there is leptospirosis.

Dogs can become infected if their gums or skin wound comes into contact with infected urine, contaminated soil, water, food, or bedding; through a bite from an infected animal, by eating an infected carcass and through the placenta from their mother.

If your dog goes out for a walk and drinks from a contaminated puddle, they could be at risk. Dogs naturally sniff around when out for a walk and are particularly drawn to urine smells as part of their communication system. You can see how infection can occur by dogs just being dogs and going about their natural behaviour patterns.

In the past, experts believed that cats were not susceptible to infection, but it is now thought that the bacteria might play a role in long-term kidney disease in this species.

So, what are the symptoms of the disease in dogs?

The first sign is usually vomiting, often blood-tinged, but can also include diarrhoea, lack of appetite, lethargy, jaundice, (yellow skin and gums) reduced urination due to kidney failure, and liver disease. These poor pups are very poorly and are often young and always unvaccinated.

Treatment options are basically antibiotics and supportive care, but like so many of our doggy diseases, prevention is better than cure and this involves a simple vaccination once a year.

But unlike many of our dog diseases, leptospirosis has a sting in the tail. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans, putting their owners and veterinary staff at risk of disease too. When we treat these animals, we must wear full PPE gear to prevent us from catching this nasty disease and the pups must be isolated from all other animals to avoid spread. If the owner is pregnant, has young children, if there are older residents or immune-compromised people living with them, the risk is even higher and can lead to flu-like symptoms and liver or kidney disease.

I would be eternally grateful to never see another puppy suffer through this nasty and largely preventable disease; it’s heartbreaking to watch and often ends tragically. So please, speak to your vet about vaccination and let’s leave leptospirosis where it belongs, in the past.

• Lucy Richardson graduated from Edinburgh University in 2005. She started CedarTree Vets in August 2012 with her husband, Mark. They live at the practice with their two children, Ray and Stella, and their dog, two cats and two guinea pigs. Dr Lucy is also the FEI national head veterinarian for Bermuda