I too am empathetic to your loss. I would however, like for you to correct some very damaging information that you are spreading about Leptospirosis. Perhaps this could save another much loved companions life. Leptospirosis vaccines are BAD, they are NOT CORE vaccines, they ARE NOT recommended even by our primeier veterianry vaccine researcher Dr. Ronald Schultz whom WILL NOT ADMINISTER or RECOMMEND this vaccine, the mumbo jumbo whomo combo vaccines with Leptorpirosis or the Leptospirosis vaccines only despite living in a Leptospirosis endemic area of the country himself! The vaccines are BAD, DANGEROUS and cofer the patholgoy of the Leptospirosis disease onto the vaccinate as the damage is the result of the immune mediated reaction between the Leptospira antigen and the immune cells of the immune system. Dr. Schultz and others, myself included have seen renal (kidney) failure in dogs vaccinated with Lepto within 48 hours of vaccination!

THe worse thing you can do to a beloved pet is to vaccinate! The only vaccines even advised are the core only lethal virus vaccines a combo of DAP (distemper adenovirus and parvovirus) and this vaccine needed only ONCE at 15 weeks of age to a mature dogs immune system and NEVER again for the life of the dog. Lepto vaccines are NOTORIOUS for conveying pathology from puritis, intense dermatitis that will be there for four years with just one vaccine, I have seen tumors cancers come up in Lepto vaccinated pups and dogs within 2 weeks of injection. Anitboyd production is very poor with the vaccine so they put powerful adjuvants that also cause cancer and genetic mutations in these vaccines, mercury is in these vaccines and that is a potent neurotoxin and a potent mutator that is responsible for all sorts of pathology. Also, the vaccine WILL NOT PROTECT THE DOG FROM INFECTION........that is right, and his clinical infection would go unoticed by you therefore this vaccine actually INCREASES THE CHANCE of ZOONOTIC transfer from an infected dog to the owners!

BEWARE your advice from those whom stand to PROFIT from vaccine hawking, they are shills! THe more vaccines administered, the more trips to the vets to have adverse reactions and pathology treated. Read more at dr-jordan.com and in my book MARK OF THE BEAST HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT available from AMAZON.COM

Dr. Jordan is absolutely correct. Something she did not mention is that even the manufacturers of the Lepto vaccine recommend not giving it to dogs under 10 pounds, and yet, it is in most combo shots (which induce reactions even without the Lepto). 

The World Small Animal Veterinary Assoc. (WSAVA) says: "This product is associated with the greatest number of adverse reactions to any vaccine." The 2006 American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force reported: "Routine vaccination of toy breeds should only be considered in dogs known to have a high exposure risk." Vets and breeders suggest the incidence of "severe anaphylaxis" in puppies under 12 weeks of age and small-breed dogs is high. I'll add that they should make sure that the vaccine protects against local strains of disease. It often doesn't.

Jeffers Pet Supply says this: "NOTE: Many vets do not recommend vaccinating small dogs or young pups with Lepto. The vaccine is not normally needed and can cause harsh and sometimes fatal reactions." This is a company that sells vaccines!  http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=P13RW46H6FK78JXQ10F1RH8PTNUBAP6D&pf_id=0029202

Read more about avoiding vaccine reactions at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/10/08/protecting-dogs-from-vaccine-reactions/

It is so heartbreaking to lose a pet, whatever the cause.  But I too have decided not to vaccinate my beloved dogs.  The risks are just too high, especially from the lepto vaccine.  Canine Health Concern surveyed 4,000 dogs to see if there was a link between severe illness and vaccines.  We found that 100% of dogs who died of lepto, died shortly after they were vaccinated against it.  Other vaccines were shown to be nearly as ineffective.

Leptospirosis, if diagnosed in time, can be treated with antibiotics.  There is also the homoeopathic nosode (pill) to consider as an alternative to vaccines.  Did you know that the majority of stray dogs carry antibodies to leptospirosis?  This means that they have encountered the disease and survived it.  Lepto is, in fact, a very rare disease in most parts of the world.

Catherine O'Driscoll, Canine Health Concern - www.canine-health-concern.org.uk