The breeder we got our pup from cautioned against vaccinating her for Lepto. Someone she knew had a pup that had a bad reaction from it. I've always done the 7 way shots that included lepto for all of our dogs (our gsd and 3 past min pins) and never had one react bad. This included boosters for tons of puppies.

What makes it dangerous? Should I be concerned? She seemed pretty paranoid. She feeds her dogs a mixture of 5 different kibbles because she's scared of recalls so I don't know how much to trust her advice.

Jessica, here is the latest vaccine protocol recommended by Dr. Jean Dodds, a leading researcher of canine vaccines and vaccinosis. Lepto is not recommended...
http://www.weim.net/emberweims/Vaccine.html

We have never recommended Lepto to puppies - if they react to anything it is the Lepto in the vaccine. That's why there are "puppy" shots and boosters and then annuals. I personally never vaccinate with Lepto as in AZ we just don't have problem with large bodies of stagnant water sitting around for dogs to drink, etc. We're lucky to have lakes.

I know everyone around here does not believe in vaccinating, but since my dogs are always with me, go to horse shows, rodeos, etc and are around lots of other dogs that I can't control the health of, I do - especially parvo - albeit not yearly. I order the puppy vaccs when I order my horse vaccs to save on shipping costs.

I wouldn't wish seeing a dog die of lepto on anyone. It is just a nasty disease however, the risk of a dog getting lepto is pretty minimal unless you are exposing your dog to dense disease ridden dog locations like puppymills, diseased livestock, swamp water, or other places wildlife roam, calve, or poop/pee. Most modern houses just don't have that lifestyle and when you combine that with the risk presented from the highish mortality rate vs limited benefit associated with that particular vaccine I don't usually recommend it.

I guess the only dogs I could ever see recommending it for would be working pursuit hounds or LSG dogs or dogs living in areas where it doesn't freeze and the dog has access to stagnant water.

distemper isn't widely seen, either, kinda like Lepto, but again in kennel situations - county animal control, puppymills, etc. This, too is awful to watch, as well as rabies. We have wildlife, especially skunks on our property alot, and recently more and more rabid ones are turning up closer to home. Had to deal with horse dying of rabies several years ago - first 1 in AZ in 40 years. Was incubated for 6 mo in the horse's system from a skunk bite while horse was in SD. traced species of skunk thru testing and only found in SD - horse hadn't been there for over 6 months. Only sysmptoms in horse were head pressing.

I think one of the reasons that some places push it as well, is that it's zoonotic. Quite a lot of animals carry it, including mice.

"Leptospirosis is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal and is contagious as long as it is still moist. Although rats, mice and moles are important primary hosts, a wide range of other mammals including dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, sheep, raccoons, possums, skunks, and certain marine mammals are able to carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts. Dogs may lick the urine of an infected animal off the grass or soil, or drink from an infected puddle. There have been reports of "house dogs" contracting leptospirosis apparently from licking the urine of infected mice that entered the house. The type of habitats most likely to carry infective bacteria are muddy riverbanks, ditches, gullies, and muddy livestock rearing areas where there is regular passage of either wild or farm mammals. There is a direct correlation between the amount of rainfall and the incidence of leptospirosis, making it seasonal in temperate climates and year-round in tropical climates."

quote from wiki

I'd have to agree with Jean Dodd's recommendation, as a leading researcher;
But I didn't vaccinate past 2 minimal puppy shots, & 1 rabies.
& I also didn't expose my puppy to other pet's, pet areas.

I believe raw feeding goes along way for the health of an animal.

My dog had lepto two years ago.

He is raw fed, did have the lepto vac as a puppy then no further boosters except for rabies.

I live in rural Southern NH where I was tracking him almost daily.

The disease is around, however after interrogating the vet she acknowledged that the vaccine that is used for lepto in my area is not effective on the strain that he contracted. So even if I had given him the lepto booster with all its risks, it would not have protected my dog.

At the diagnosis the vet said "wow" "I have never had an owner spot the symptoms so quickly, and I don't anticipate any residual issues for your dog after treatment."

Small consolation for someone who loves sport tracking! The fields around here are loaded with small streams and wildlife.

I have racked my brain trying to figure out where he possibly contracted this but I doubt I will ever know.

I would vaccinate for Lepto, because where I live the agent is common, in various serotypes. I would wait until the pup is a little older, > 4 mos. I would feel safe using it in the final booster of the puppy series. JMO

"Reactions" usually occur when the patient's immune system has seen the agent already.

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

I would vaccinate for Lepto, because where I live the agent is common, in various serotypes.

Yes, Dr. Dodds's protocol as I usually link it was prepared specifically for California (she is here) and the site that I'm usually linking to (that reproduces it) is also on the West Coast.

The core vax wouldn't require more research (except as desired by the researcher), IMHO, but two of the non-core vax mention California stats as part of the reason for not recommending.

If I were in Wisconsin or New England, for example, I'd start reading more about Lyme, and if I were anywhere but the West Coast, I'd read up on Lepto where I lived.