{"id":362655,"date":"2021-11-05T02:49:58","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T23:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-leptospirosis-outbreak-in-filthy-nyc-killed-my-puppy\/"},"modified":"2021-11-05T02:49:58","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T23:49:58","slug":"the-leptospirosis-outbreak-in-filthy-nyc-killed-my-puppy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-leptospirosis-outbreak-in-filthy-nyc-killed-my-puppy\/","title":{"rendered":"#The leptospirosis outbreak in filthy NYC killed my puppy!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#The leptospirosis outbreak in filthy NYC killed my puppy!<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n        <\/aside>\n<p>The streets of NYC are getting ruff \u2014 and killing local pooches.<\/p>\n<p>When Roxanna Zafar\u2019s puppy was laying feebly in a hospital bed last month gasping his last breaths and suffering acute kidney failure, she hadn\u2019t heard of the disease that would take his life within days. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never even heard the word \u2018leptospirosis\u2019 until he was sick in the hospital,\u201d said Zafar, who lost 12-week-old Disco to the bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. <\/p>\n<p>Once considered a rare disease among humans, an outbreak has <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brucelee\/2021\/10\/22\/leptospirosis-outbreak-in-nyc-spread-by-rat-urine-13-hospitalized-one-dead\/?sh=3b6a24046786\">ravaged NYC this year<\/a>, with more leptospirosis cases in 2021 than any other year. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/assets\/doh\/downloads\/pdf\/han\/advisory\/2021\/leptospirosis-cases-increase.pdf\">issued a statement<\/a> in September noting the record number of cases in the city, with 14 humans infected so far this year, 13 of which led to hospitalization. One person died from the infection. In 2017, leptospirosis claimed one life and sickened two others in The Bronx.<\/p>\n<p>The rat population, which excretes the bacteria into the environment, is squarely to blame for most human cases. Contact with water, soil or contaminated food with an infected animal\u2019s urine are major sources of transmission.  <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/leptospirosis-comp-copy.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Disco, still a puppy, deteriorated within days, and ultimately succumbed to acute kidney failure.  \" class=\"wp-image-20037464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/leptospirosis-comp-copy.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/leptospirosis-comp-copy.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/leptospirosis-comp-copy.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Disco, still a puppy, deteriorated within days, and ultimately succumbed to acute kidney failure.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For Fidos who mingle in puddles or any pool of water or soil, the bacteria, which can survive for months, enters the mucus membranes. <\/p>\n<p>Dr. Jennifer Jablow, an owner of two rescues, warned, \u201cThe amount of garbage piling up in NYC and limited sanitation is causing an upsurge in rat sightings. Dogs are more at risk for leptospirosis, which can be deadly. It\u2019s sad what NYC has become.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While Zafar doesn\u2019t know where her cuddly 10-pound Australian cattle dog picked it up, the aggressive disease wore down the once-active puppy, who developed lethargy and started vomiting violently one night. \u201cIt was all downhill from there,\u201d said Zafar, who rushed him to an animal hospital. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>Watching her new puppy deteriorate was as crushing as it was bewildering. \u201cWe got to say our goodbyes \u2014 taking off his cone, and spending time in our car. He was jaundiced, trembling, with back legs curling in,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<p>Zafar, a 34-year-old from the Upper West Side, shelled out $10,000 on medical expenses for Disco, but declined a $30,000 dialysis treatment that she was told was risky. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe cost was beyond our means, prognosis was very poor and ultimately we did not want to be selfish and put him through any more suffering,\u201d she said, adding that a vet told her another animal hospital was likely short on beds as multiple dogs were being treated for leptospirosis at once.<\/p>\n<p>Disco\u2019s leptospirosis test came back positive after he died.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTreatment for hospitalized cases can be a thousand to several thousand [dollars] if the pet has to stay at the hospital for several days due to liver or kidney failure,\u201d\u00a0Dr. Sarah Wooten, veterinary expert for\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pumpkin.care\/?utm_campaign=10504673228&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwiY6MBhBqEiwARFSCPrtUIrHhoWOPKuLbG6gYioTQybuyysJvFOfxFqgfO6NRdhQ24OMLfBoCRnYQAvD_BwE&amp;utm_campaignid=10504673228&amp;utm_adgroupid=110748269464&amp;utm_adid=499411185750&amp;utm_keyword=pumpkin%20pet%20insurance&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwiY6MBhBqEiwARFSCPrtUIrHhoWOPKuLbG6gYioTQybuyysJvFOfxFqgfO6NRdhQ24OMLfBoCRnYQAvD_BwE\">Pumpkin Pet Insurance<\/a>, told The Post. \u201cIt is expensive because the pets have to be treated as contagious and urine from infected animals has to be handled very carefully to prevent infection of hospital staff or other animals in the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar20211104_0002.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=682\" alt=\"The owner of Australian puppy Disco posted this PSA after he contracted leptospirosis on the Upper West Side and died.\" class=\"wp-image-20039191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar20211104_0002.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1023 1023w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar20211104_0002.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=682 682w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar20211104_0002.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar20211104_0002.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\"\/><figcaption>Disco\u2019s owner posted this PSA after he contracted leptospirosis on the Upper West Side and died.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Roxanna Zafar<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A heartsick Zafar posted a warning on a local <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> group: \u201cDog owners: Please be aware of Leptospirosis and prevent your dogs from coming in contact with stagnant water\/puddles. This disease was unbeknownst to us and ultimately killed our puppy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dozens of responses poured in, some from owners who lost their own dog to the disease. \u201cI lost my 5 1\/2 year old to lepto. Heartbreaking. Early symptoms are mild &amp; non-specific. Never second guess going to vet. Be overly cautious,\u201d said one commenter, whose vaccinated dog still caught a deadly strain.<\/p>\n<p>Because Disco was only a puppy, Zafar didn\u2019t know that a vaccine was available. \u201cI read that experts do not recommend the lepto [vaccine] for puppies under 12 weeks. It is a two-<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> vaccine, only protects against four strains of lepto and is not part of the core vaccines,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was such a light in our lives,\u201d she added. \u201cIt was amazing how quickly he declined. It was crazy \u2014 three days of being sick.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wish I knew what I know now,\u201d Zafar continued. \u201cThe whole experience has been devastating and my only wish is to prevent this from h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ening to another dog.\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/11\/04\/the-leptospirosis-outbreak-in-filthy-nyc-killed-my-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#The leptospirosis outbreak in filthy NYC killed my puppy!&#8221; The streets of NYC are getting ruff \u2014 and killing local pooches. When Roxanna Zafar\u2019s puppy was laying feebly in a hospital bed last month gasping his last breaths and suffering acute kidney failure, she hadn\u2019t heard of the disease that would take his life within&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":362656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/roxy-zafar-comp.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[118461,70708,21774,76103],"class_list":["post-362655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-11-4-21","tag-dogs","tag-nyc","tag-rats"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=362655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/362656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=362655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=362655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=362655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}