Dogs are not spared the scourge of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease caused by exposure to infected rat urine which had claimed eight human lives in Pahang and one in Kedah in two months.

Veterinarian Dr Lee Ee Liang told the New Straits Times that there had been four cases of dogs dying from leptospirosis at his clinic in Nusa Bistari here in the past two weeks.

Symptoms of the disease include loss of appetite, diarrhoea and fatigue, with the infected dog slowly turning yellow from its eyes to the entire body.

Due to the surge in the number of cases, dog owners are advised to keep a close watch on their pets' health.

Dr Lee said the bacterial incubation period in animals was from two to 20 days. In its acute stage, the dog's liver and kidney would be damaged.

Household pets get infected by drinking or eating from their bowl where a rat may have shared the food or urinated into it.

The disease is then transmitted to humans through cuts in the skin, eyes or from the mucous membranes such as the inside of the nose.

Johor Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chairman Dr Edwin Singam, who is also a veterinarian, said he received about 10 cases of dogs infected with leptospirosis each week of late, of which eight per cent of them died.

"My advice to dog owners is not to leave leftover food and water overnight as rats may urinate into it.

"Diners at eateries are also advised to wipe the fork, spoon, chopsticks and rim of glasses before using them as one can never tell if a rat had contaminated the utensils."

Source : nst.com.my