Leptospirosis, what it is and where it comes from
Lepto is a disease that is frequently contracted by dogs drinking from standing water, such as puddles or ponds. A dog with Lepto will become extremely sick and can sometimes be fatal. This disease is a bacterial infection that enters your pup’s bloodstream. One reason a body of water could be infected is if an animal with Lepto would urinate in a body of water and in effect contaminating it. If an animal with Lepto even urinates on vegetation that your dog stiffs or puts their snout in they could contract Lepto.
Many animals can be carriers of Lepto, including but not limited to raccoons, mice, and rats. This is important to be aware of considering that many dogs contract Lepto from other animals urine contaminating an area. Dogs can also pass Lepto to one another, even if a dog has recovered from the disease they can still be a carrier of it for a few weeks after they’re well again.
Can dirty water kill a dog?
Sadly, exposure to toxic blue-green algae is often fatal, and can also cause long term health problems in dogs that survive after drinking or swimming in algae-contaminated water. Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog just 15 minutes to an hour after drinking contaminated water.
Prevention Tips: Keep the toilet bowl closed or make sure that the door to your bathroom is closed to your pet. : BrianLasenby / ThinkstockOcean Water
Symptoms of Toxicity: Vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, nervous system dysfunction including tremors, depression, or a semi-comatose state of awareness, agitation, and seizures.
Symptoms of Toxicity: “If your dog has been in a lake or pond with blue-green algae, be sure to wash him or her immediately, and keep an eye out for symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty walking, and general weakness,” explains Werber.
Just because your dog has a nice fresh bowl of filtered water waiting for him at home doesn’t mean that’s his only drinking source throughout the day. When your pup sees water—in any form—it’s instinctual for him to want to take a sip.
“The algae releases toxins into the water as it begins to die. Dogs often respond to the smell produced by the algae and drink the algae-contaminated water,” he explains. This can result in damage to the kidneys, liver, intestines and nervous system. In fact, the mere act of swimming in the algae-contaminated water can be enough to cause skin rashes.
Dangers Of Drinking Water From Rusty Pipes #AllAboutWaterFilters
Are you giving your pet a fresh bowl of water straight from your tap? That bowl of water might not be as fresh as you thought. If you wouldn’t drink your tap water, your pets shouldn’t either.
If you do not have a system in place to soften and remove contaminants from your water, you could be stunting the growth of your dog or cat and exposing them to dangerous chemicals.