POWELL, Tenn. — One morning, a Powell pet owner's dog woke up after a rough night. The dog's name is Chico Von Sausage and soon after waking up, he vomited.
Alyssa Richardson, the dog's owner, said that he seemed fine at first glance.
"But then that morning, he ate breakfast. We thought he was okay, and came home. And then we noticed that he had vomited his breakfast," she said. "We thought maybe it was just a little stomach bug and he would get over it. Well he, unfortunately, didn't. He just got worse and worse."
She took Chico Von Sausage to the veterinarian. He had to go to critical care to be treated for leptospirosis — a kind of bacterial infection. The American Veterinary Medical Association said the bacteria that causes the infection, Leptospira, can be found across the world in soil and water. There are many strains that can cause disease and it can spread from animals to people.
When people are infected with it, it can cause flu-like symptoms or even kidney disease. In dogs, it can cause fever, shivering, reluctance to move, increased thirst, lethargy, jaundice, painful inflammation around the eyes, kidney failure, liver failure or severe lung disease.
"He is everything to our family. He was our first dog, my husband and I, when we got married. And he was our first furbaby," said Richardson.
When treated early and aggressively, the chances for a pet to recover from leptospirosis are good. However, there can be permanent kidney or liver damage. Vaccines are also available for leptospirosis, which protects dogs for at least a year. The AVMA recommends annual vaccinations.
They also said an infected pet presents a low risk of infection for people. If a pet is diagnosed with leptospirosis, owners should avoid their pet's urine. If they urinate inside, owners should quickly clean the area with disinfectant while wearing gloves.
"I don't want to be a fearmonger by any means. We just want to raise awareness, and just remind people that there are still bacterial diseases and that's just something to be mindful of," said Richardson. "Our dogs are up to date. But unfortunately, the vaccine only treats certain strains. So for pet owners, it's just something to think about."
The University of Tennessee said standing water can act as a reservoir for Leptospira, and dogs can risk infection if they drink from standing water. Water can include puddles from the rain or decorative fountains in a person's backyard.
"Just thinking about him — we love him, and we want the best for him," said Richardson.
As of July 6, Richardson told 10News that Chico Von Sausage has died.