Leptospirosis Unmasked: Updated Clinical Insights for Every Practice

Course overview

This course, led by Dr. Jane Sykes, delivers the latest updates from the most recent ACVIM Consensus Statement on canine leptospirosis. Veterinary professionals will gain a comprehensive understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis, zoonotic risk, and diagnostic challenges, along with practical clinical recommendations. New molecular insights into the biofilm forming ability of Leptospira spp. and their persistence in renal tissue are discussed in detail, highlighting the disease's potential for subclinical shedding, environmental contamination, and multisystemic involvement. Clinicians will learn to apply current epidemiological evidence, moving beyond outdated geographic and lifestyle assumptions. The course emphasizes the importance of identifying leptospirosis in urban and small breed dogs and supports year-round vigilance regardless of season or setting. Diagnostic methods including MAT titers, PCR, and point-of-care testing are explored with clear guidance on interpretation, including real-world case examples and consensus-based case definitions. Equally important, the course addresses prevention strategies through vaccination, highlighting newly published data supporting the classification of leptospirosis as a core vaccine recommendation. Treatment protocols for acute and chronic presentations are reviewed, along with best practices for antimicrobial use and client education. By the end of this course, veterinary teams will be better equipped to prevent, diagnose, and manage this complex, underrecognized threat.