I am FURIOUS!
 

I need to board Diesel and a local Vet comes highly reccomended. The conly problem is that they won't board him without a LEPTO shot. He has had one before. That was before I knew anything about them. Now I am terrified of something happening to him. We are going out of town and the hotel won't accept dogs. The thought of being away from him is just killing me.:( I am sure he will be ok for just a few days. I guess my question is how do you get around the lepto shot?

You don't and it would have to be an emergency for me to give it and I sure hope it is an issue in your area if they are pushing it that much because otherwise they are vaccinating all of those dogs needlessly.:(

i would find another place to leave my puppy.

you probably already thought of this but can a friend or relative keep him? :( i am sorry - i can see why you are upset! i would be too...my kids do NOT get the lepto vac and never will unless an outbreak in this area occurs and they need to be protected :(

We're going to Plano, TX the beginning of April. I googled "dog lodging" and found lodging close to my son. He's checked them out. Making reservations for the furbabies today.

I know this might sound Bad but what is a Lepto Shot what is it used for ?

My 4 Yorkies and my Golden have always gotten the Lepto. In Indiana with the flooding, farmers letting pasture animals in streams..etc..it is important for us to get the vaccine. None of mine, including the puppies have ever had a reaction.

I found the following.....

Causes

Scanning electron microscope of a number of Leptospira sp. bacteria atop a 0.1 µm polycarbonate filterLeptospirosis is caused by a spirochaete bacterium called Leptospira spp. that has at 5 different serovars of importance in the United States causing disease (icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, pomona, grippotyphosa, and bratislava).[3] There are other (less common) infectious strains. It should however be noted that genetically different leptospira organisms may be identical serologically and vice versa. Hence, an argument exists on the basis of strain identification. The traditional serologic system is seemingly more useful from diagnostic and epidemiologic standpoint at the moment (which may change with further development and spread of technologies like PCR).

Leptospirosis is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal, and is contagious as long as it is still moist. Although rats, mice and voles are important primary hosts, a wide range of other mammals including dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, sheep, raccoons, possums, skunks, and even certain marine mammals are also able to carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts. Dogs may lick the urine of an infected animal off the grass or soil, or drink from an infected puddle. There have been reports of "house dogs" contracting leptospirosis apparently from licking the urine of infected mice that entered the house. The type of habitats most likely to carry infective bacteria are muddy riverbanks, ditches, gulleys and muddy livestock rearing areas where there is regular passage of either wild or farm mammals. There is a direct correlation between the amount of rainfall and the incidence of leptospirosis, making it seasonal in temperate climates and year-round in tropical climates.

Leptospirosis is also transmitted by the semen of infected animals[4]. Abattoir workers can contract the disease through contact with infected blood or body fluids.

Humans become infected through contact with water, food, or soil containing urine from these infected animals. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact. The disease is not known to be spread from person to person and cases of bacterial dissemination in convalescence are extremely rare in humans. Leptospirosis is common among watersport enthusiasts in specific areas as prolonged immersion in water is known to promote the entry of the bacteria. Occupational risk factors include veterinarians, slaughter house workers, farmers, and sewer workers. An outbreak in an inner city environment has been linked to contact with rat urine.[3]

I guess it's up to the individual owners whether they want to take the chance or not.

We had a cockapoo die from Lepto. When I get my new yorkie, they will get vaccinated for Lepto. She died almost 7 years ago and in the same house we currently reside in. It was horrible and I would never wish it on a dog.

What it is for has been posted above but it isn't recommended for Yorkies because the vaccine itself has killed several of them (especially puppies). Ellie went into shock after she got it. It should be used in high-risk areas only, if at all. One lepto vaccines also doesn't protect against all strains and most need to be given twice a year. The disease is horrible but the vaccine is also.

lepto shot
 

I would ask why they require the lepto shot, is there lepto in the area? If not, I would try to find another place to leave him. If he has had the shot before, he probably will get along OK with it, and if there is lepto in your area, he should have the shot.

are there pet sitters where you are going?
or maybe it might be in your best interest to change hotels.

My vet reccommends Lepto vaccine. He said because of our area Penny should have it. But I am nervous.

That seems pretty ignorant. What are the chances a dog will catch lepto at a boarding kennel? I can understand parvo, distemper, rabies, and even bordetella...but lepto? It's not a contagious disease spread through the air..it is spread through coming in contact with infected urine. And a dog can't get the vaccine the day it's being boarded and be protected so its pointless anyway... I'd have a discussion with the vet if it were me and if they wouldn't budge I'd find some place else to leave my dog.

If Diesel has already had one I would tell the vet to Titer Test him to see if the vaccine is still in his system and if it so I would think he would not need another one yet. :animal-pa
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La Quinta Inn & Suites allows you to stay with your pets and they're a nice hotel. I believe there are several in Plano Texas.

:^)

A lot of Marriotts allow pets as well.

It's unfortunate, almost every place in Oklahoma requires Lepto.

I just do NOT understand why a boarding facility would require Lepto no matter where it is...just doesn't make any sense

I wonder if they do it because it's contagious? I'm not actually sure if Lepto is contagious from dog to dog, but since it is from dog to human, I would assume it is. I think their rationale is that if a dog is vaccinated, it is less likely to have it, therefore less likely to pass it on to other dogs which = less problems for them.

Just a guess though.

I know it is crazy to insist on this vaccine, especially since OPs state isn't having a huge problem as far as I know.

What really gets me is them not taking into consideration that the carrier state of this disease is being studied still. Isn't it true that even if a dog is protected against a strain of lepto from the vaccine, they can still carry said strain and pass it on?

Prevention. Commercial vaccines are available and protect against clinical disease associated with the L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. canicola serovars. Inoculation does not, however, prevent infection and development of a carrier state whereby the dog will be clinically asymptomatic for disease yet provide a source of contagion through the shedding of serovars in its urine. Additionally, vaccinating against these specific serovars does not afford protection against other serovars.
http://www.labbies.com/lepto.htm

For at least one type of lepto vaccine, the dog can still carry it.

The titer test is a very good idea! I willask them about that. I actually decided to take him with us. We will just be limited as to what we can do but it is just for a few days. Then next time we go away longer I might see if we can find someone to keep him. My family is 3 hours away in the opposite direction of where we are going so that wouldn't work. I really want to leave him at the vet's office. He gets VERY depressed when I am away and he won't eat. So I worry about his sugar and everything else. So for now I don't have to worry about the Lepto shot. Thanks a bunch for all the help and info.

I wanted to add a question.. How or rather where on the internet can you look to see if Lepto is a problem in your area?

You can't. When I was trying to decide whether or not Franklin should get Lepto, I searched and searched and searched. My vet's office told me that it was a problem in my area, but for some reason I didn't want to believe her. Well, not believe her necessarily, but I wanted to get the absolute truth for Franklin's safety. I called around to every other vet in my area and asked them if they gave it. You might try doing that?