Dog owners whose four-legged friend particularly likes to drink from puddles or swim in lakes have been warned of a deadly disease that can spread through water.
Leptospirosis is a serious illness caused by bacteria which affects humans as well as animals, though according to the NHS it is ‘very rare’ for people to catch the disease. It is mainly spread through contaminated urine and can enter the body through the mouth, nose or wounds.
Wet ground, stagnant water or bodies of fresh water such as lakes and rivers can become contaminated with the bacteria by the urine of affected rats, farm animals, or other dogs, The Mirror reports . Leptospirosis can live for several months in water, and dogs who regularly kill rodents, spend a lot of time swimming, or live on a farm are at highest risk of catching the disease.
