# Question about Lepto



## Jami (Oct 8, 2008)

I am wondering how common it is in goats, if anyone vaccinated for it and if so what the dose is. My goats roan all over our ranch on a couple hundred acres during the day. We have alot of deer and I have had 2 does now abort in the last 10 days that were bred Aug 24 and Aug 27, both bred to differnt bucks. Vet thinks it could be Lepto and suggests I vac all my does for lepto, as well as treating them with chlorotetracline crumbles for a week. Just was curious as to some thoughts from other goat people. thanks Jami


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

We used to vaccinate for lepto. In the early 90's you could get the vaccine, so we quit. I didn't start doing it again since we don't have problems locally with it, it simply wasn't anything diagnosed in my area. If it has been diagnosed, and a second abortion here would have given me a reason to test, I would go back to the vaccine.

It's in Jeffers under reproductive vaccines in cattle (also given to sheep and pigs) you always use the bottle directions and always give the 2nd vaccine booster in goats, then once a year before the does kid. It is an IM shot on the label because of meat cuts in cattle....one thing is to ask your vet which kind of lepto is a problem in your area. One of the vaccines was much more expensive because of one of the forms, we didn't have to use that one. Also do not purchase it with a bunch of other things that goats do not get! ie....it makes no sense to give some of the cattle pneumonia vaccines to goats when 99% of the time you will be diagnosed with pasteurella, use the vaccine that is for pasteurella haemolytica and multocidia...which means nasal vaccines don't work for that. And honestly I would be calling your state vet or university and see if this is a problem in your area unless it's a vet who sees a large number of animals in your area, especially ruminants. Vicki


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## Jami (Oct 8, 2008)

We have it in our deer here and I know we have to vaccinate our cattle for it becasue it is a problem. Our local feed store has just the Lepto vaccine the five strain vaccine that are the most common in our area. We have sheep too and I have talked to the other local sheep people about vaccinating the sheep and all of them say there has never been a problem with the sheep so I am not sure what to do. My does have no other symptoms but a bloody discharge and what I have read on Lepto they "usually have other syptoms. Is there somewhere that could test blood or urine to see if they have lepto other then a titer test?


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I would call UC Davis, I have never had them not have an answer for me. Vicki


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

Funny I found this post now. I just suggested possible lepto in the post about Saanen not breeding. Lepto can occur in goats, a dairy not too far from here had it last year. I was thinking about vaccinating, just in case.


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## Jami (Oct 8, 2008)

Trysta do you know if the goats had any other symptoms other then aborting and do you how and if they treated the goats and if they had them tested to confirm it was lepto?


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

Sorry, I don't know all the details about the case. I talked to the farmer this spring, he was milking about 40 does then, and he said that he had a major set back the year before, because so many of his does aborted or didn't get pregnant. I did not ask if there were other symptoms, we were actually talking about his milk production. I do know that he did test his herd and that it came back positive for Lepto. Sorry, wish I could tell you more. Oh and yes he did treat his does, I think it was a combination of penicillin and something else.


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Without knowing for certain, it could be anything, including Q-Fever or chlamydia. Having a placenta checked is the best way to know exactly what you're dealing with, and remember, a lot of the diseases that cause abortions in goats are zoonotic, so please be sure and take bio-precautions if you handle any of the discharge. Tetracycline is usually the drug of choice for most aborting diseases. Caroline


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## D Bar J Acres (Nov 5, 2007)

Hmmm, this is interesting if goats can get lepto. We have problems with lepto in cattle in my immediate area. I don't have deer in my pasture ever, but do buy hay from the neighbor which has deer in his fields he bales - just this summer I saw a deer standing in a winrow of hay peeing on it (I believe that's where it comes from?). He also has Hardjo lepto and think that's one of the worst types.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Yes - urine is the method of transmission. Normally from wet ground that retains urine. If I remember correctly once dry it will not be actively contagious. The animal will have to get wet urine from a contagious animal in a cut on the skin or in their mouth. There are many serovars but only 2 that cause abortion so you must be sure your vaccine includes those. 
I am the same age group that remembers the vaccines being declared ineffective and perhaps even a mode of transmission to otherwise clean herds. It was widely publicized that they do not confer immunity. There was a great article called Smoke and Mirrors on a site for information on alternative dog rearing addressing this topic just this spring. 
Lee


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Also, remember that Lepto is zoonotic, meaning can be passed to people. If you suspect lepto, be very careful handling the suspect animals.



D Bar J Acres said:


> just this summer I saw a deer standing in a winrow of hay peeing on it


Greeeat...


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

That's it! It was the through urine, that's how a farmer milking can get it too! But if you have just one animal aborting it's not likely it's lepto. You would very likely see more than one animal aborting or 'not settling' (that would in this case actually be a very early abortion you missed, so it looks like not settling).

And yes, that's it Tetracyclines are the drug of choice but for some reason often in combination with penicillin.

Okay, so I'm going to copy and paste this, since I am in a lepto conversation very much like this in the post about the Saanen not breeding!


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