Protecting Your Pet: Water Worries

(WSVN) -- Water - water everywhere - but animal owners beware.

Herb Gross, Noodle's dad: "His kidneys and liver shutdown. There was only a 10-percent chance he would be alive the next day."

Noodle went from a playful pooch to deathly ill and on dialysis.

Herb Gross: "I just cried. I cried -- because the dog is part of the family."

It happened to Quincy too.

Tom Rennicks, Quincy's dad: "This just came totally out of the blue -- fine one day, the next she was on the verge of death."

Both dogs picked up a potentially deadly bacteria.

Usually from drinking or playing in contaminated water like a puddle - or even from eating grass.

It's spread through the urine of infected wild animals.

The illness can show up a few days later or even a month after exposure.

Veterinarian Dr. Mary Labato: "We are seeing more dogs with it -- the most common times of year are the late summer, early fall or spring."

People can get infected too - the largest outbreak occurred in Illinois after a group of tri-athletes went swimming in a lake.

Veterinarian Fred Canter DVN: "The symptoms that occur in people are generally a flu-like illness. Rare smaller groups of people will have liver and kidney problems."

In animals -- the first signs can be subtle -- a dog not acting like himself -- increased thirst or lack of appetite.

Dr. Mary Labato: "Then very rapidly they can become much more ill and have more avert signs of kidney failure -- like a decrease in urine production, severe vomiting, lethargy."

The younger the animal the harder the disease can hit - the good news - treatment is available.

Antibiotics do the trick. In severe cases -- dialysis is needed.

A vaccine is available but it only guards against four strains -- there are 200.

So protect your pet by keeping them away from outdoor water.

Herb Gross: "He's amazing -- He's terrific."

Thanks to good care, Noodle and Quincy are on the mend.

Contact: mmitzel@wsvn.com