Leptospirosis and also Cats and Kittens 101

Listen HERE to WGN Radio Steve Dale’s PetWorld conversation about leptospirosis.

Dr. Natalie Marks explains why people, particularly children, are also susceptible and how dogs do sometimes spread this dangerous disease to people. Not only does vaccination prevent transmission from occurring to humans, vaccination also protects dogs from getting sick. And Dr. Marks explains sometimes dogs with leptospirosis get so sick that there is no recovery.  She describes what the signs of lepto are.

She explains how this bacterial infection is spread to dogs in the first place, often from wildlife, which ranges from raccoons to coyotes and many other animals, to most often city rats. And Chicago being “the rattiest city” is especially a hot spot for leptospirosis.

All it takes is a dog to have a sip of infected water from as a source as large as Lake Michigan or as small as a puddle. Or even if a dog steps into tainted water and then licks a paw. There’s no for a pet parent to know that the water has been an infected by a squirrel or a rat who piddled in that puddle, and while pet parents could avoid taking the dog to a dog beach or swimming in forest preserve pond, there’s way to avoid all puddles. And there’s no need to avoid anything if the pup is vaccinated (though drinking from tap water or bottled water is always a better idea than other sources).

 Welcoming a New Kitten (or adult cat)

Tabitha Kucera

Listen HERE to WGN Radio Steve Dale’s PetWorld as registered veterinary technician specialist in behavior is Tabitha Kucera offers tips on what to do when a kitten (or adult cat) happens into your life, including offering a safe room, introducing cats to one another, litter box tips and why training (can cats be trained?) is so important. And what consent means, including carrier training tips and choosing an appropriate carrier in the first place. Also, a discussion about the importance of individual medicine for your cat, and preventative care.

Breed Specific Bans Don’t Do Anything

Chicago tried to ban pit bulls but Steve led a task force to prevent that, and now Miami Dade County is about to rescind their pit bull ban.