RSPCA NSW urges pet owners to vaccinate dogs against leptospirosis

Vets are urging pet owners to vaccinate their dogs against leptospirosis and keep cats indoors to curb the spread of the contagious fatal bacterial infection passed on by rats.

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RSPCA NSW is offering $30 vaccinations for leptospirosis to curb the spread of the deadly bacteria, and will vaccinate against it for free during any other booked vaccination appointment at its Sydney Veterinary Hospital in Yagoona.

The highly contagious bacterial disease spread through the urine and tissue of rats is believed to have claimed the lives of at least seven dogs in inner-city Sydney in recent months, with cases reported in Surry Hills, Glebe and Darlinghurst.

Vets have issued a warning about the outbreak, which is transmissible between animals and humans and can be fatal.

However dog owners have been paying up to $195 for vaccines, with two needles two weeks apart required for full protection.

A rare deadly bacteria called leptospirosis has been found in pets around Surry Hills, Glebe and Darlinghurst. Vets are urging people to get their pets vaccinated.

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There is no vaccine available for cats and RSPCA NSW is urging cat owners within the affected areas to keep them indoors.

Owners also need to watch their pets are safe from rat baits as pest control measures increase across the city.

City of Sydney is currently doubling rat baits on council-owned land after a jump in rat sightings, which it says is a result of an unprecedented number of construction and infrastructure projects.

Residents and businesses have also been urged to take care with food scraps and waste and to ensure regular pest control is carried out on private properties.

Hundreds of rat baits will be placed across Sydney in response to a rise in the rodent population across the city.

RSPCA NSW says dogs may become infected through contact with infected surfaces in food, water and bedding and symptoms, which take seven days to present. Dogs displaying signs of vomiting, lethargy and diarrhoea should be taken to a vet immediately.

To book a vaccine, contact RSPCA Sydney Veterinary Hospital on [phone].