It’s so common here that our vet gives all dogs and puppies the vaccine. For the small breed puppies she give the Lepto vaccine split into two doses and advises Benadryl prior to the appointment. The vaccine can be hard on some dogs but not nearly as bad as the disease. I had to put a horse down once because he caught Lepto from my neighbor’s unvaccinated cows. It’s a big problem in states in the South. Some dogs are exposed and never have symptoms but by the time they get symptoms it’s very hard to treat. Caught early is it treatable. It’s also able to be passed to humans through contact with urine. Wildlife like deer, rabbits, rats, raccoons, etc. spread it. After a rain it passes into ponds, and other bodies of standing water. My dogs are all vaccinated yearly against it. Bad disease!
Vet said in the past, the oral vaccines caused too many problems and caused some dogs to become sick for months. Since there hadn’t been lepto in so long, he quit giving it. Now days, the injection version doesn’t have the same reaction but to still be on the lookout for a couple of days after the shot.
He doesn’t know why it’s back. Texas is always hot and dry in the summer but it has rained a bit more this year. With daily 100 degree temps, it’s hard to imagine any standing water but who knows.