Cause of abortion . Researchers believe that the fetus dies from actual leptospiral infection and is expelled as a foreign body. In cattle, abortion occurs two to five weeks after the onset of the disease, and the fetus has usually been dead for several days before it is expelled. Leptospirosis is not a common cause of abortion in horses. Leptospirosis in Other Animals Sheep and goats .
Leptospirosis occurs in sheep and goats with less frequency than in cattle and swine.
The signs reported are similar to those described for cattle. A variety of serotypes have been identified, but only L. pomona has been isolated in the United States. Canine leptospirosis is widespread in the United States. However, the incidence varies with the environment and is less common in confined dogs. In severe cases, jaundice and death may occur.