“Their Pee Could Kill Your Dog”

As in “their pee could kill your dog”:

Here’s another reason to hate rats: Their pee could kill your dog.

Health officials and pet owners in North Brooklyn are on the alert after a report last week that two dogs may have died from leptospirosis, a disease that can be passed on to canines through water tainted by rat or mice urine.

The city’s Department of Health said this week that the cases in Brooklyn are only suspicious for leptospirosis, and are still under investigation.

The Daily News said a six-year-old rat terrier called Parker died within days after romping at one of the dog runs in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, particularly muddy and wet after June’s heavy rains. The dog’s owner, Aaron Goodman, said the his sweet pup stopped eating, turned yellow and ultimately suffered severe kidney failure, according to the report.