{"id":981,"date":"2026-07-12T20:45:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tenwestvet.com\/blog\/?p=981"},"modified":"2026-07-12T20:45:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:45:50","slug":"the-july-storm-surge-why-standing-water-in-san-antonio-increases-leptospirosis-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tenwestvet.com\/blog\/the-july-storm-surge-why-standing-water-in-san-antonio-increases-leptospirosis-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"The July Storm Surge: Why Standing Water in San Antonio Increases Leptospirosis Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Has your dog ever lapped up water from a puddle during a walk, jog, or play session outside, especially after a storm? Did you know that standing water can pose a risk of leptospirosis for dogs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the team at Ten West Bird & Animal Hospital<\/a> will dive into what leptospirosis is, what the leptospirosis symptoms in dogs are, and how you can make sure your pup doesn\u2019t get the illness in the first place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is Leptospirosis?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that\u2019s caused by Leptospira <\/em>organisms. These pesky little critters thrive in\u2014you guessed in\u2014warm, wet environments, such as puddles. They usually spread from puddle to puddle via the urine of infected wild animals, like racoons, rodents, and yes, armadillos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When our heavy summer rains hit here in San Antonio, this contaminated pee can wash into every puddle, ditch, stream, and area of standing water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means if your dog licks, sniffs, sticks his face in, or even places a cut paw<\/a> into the water, she could be exposed to leptospirosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, leptospirosis isn\u2019t just a Texas pet health risk. It\u2019s a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans, too. Some dogs skip through with mild illness, while others develop serious, life-threatening complications that can affect the kidneys or liver.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leptospirosis Symptoms in Dogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Common symptoms<\/a> of leptospirosis in dogs include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n