A family in Scarborough is still reeling from the loss of their 16-month-old puppy after she contracted a bacterial disease and died last month.

Nikita, a Boston terrier, often spent time outdoors and in dog parks. It is there that Arlette Hicks, Nikita’s owner, believes the dog was exposed to Leptospirosis, a bacteria spread through infected animal urine.

“She will always be the love of my life. She was a happy dog. She loved being with her humans,” Hicks said. “There was no reason for her to pass away at 16 months. She was a happy, healthy dog.”

The bacteria used to be found mainly on farms or areas where there is a lot of water or moist soil, but Scott Weese, a professor at University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College said that trend is shifting.

“Now, it’s moved to much more of an urban dog disease,” he said. “Rodents and raccoons are the main sources.”

“Anywhere a raccoon or a mouse has peed is theoretically a concern.”

Weese said that the Ontario Veterinary College has seen more of the disease over the last 10 to 15 years.

“Last year it seemed to be a worse than this year,” he said. “Usually we don’t see much in the winter, but last year I saw cases over Christmas. That’s the one change. Why that is, we are still trying to sort out.”

Weese said that Ontario is “a hotbed” for Leptospirosis, something he describes as a “nasty disease” that can cause fatal infections that are expensive to treat. He also said that the symptoms of the disease often disguise themselves as other illnesses, making it difficult to diagnose.

Leptospirosis can cause lethargy, fever, kidney and liver failure, sore muscles and joints, vomiting and bleeding problems.

Hicks said that she had a plan with her veterinarian that covered most vaccines, but that the vaccine for Leptospirosis was not given to her pet.

“The vet said they are selective with who they give it to and that’s really unacceptable because it was paid for in the plan,” she said.

According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the vaccine is only administered to dogs at risk of exposure, as some animals have had reactions to the drug.

However, Weese said that most veterinarians should mention it to pet owners as it is a core vaccine for any dog in Ontario.

He suggested keeping dogs away from raccoon environments, even though it is “a lot easier said than done.”

Hicks was able to get her other dog the vaccine and is now urging other pet owners to ask about it.

“Get your dog the lepto vaccine and it could save your dog’s life,” she said.

The cost of the vaccine is about $30.