Brucella Canis is a disease that can be found in other regions of the world, and recently it has been reported in the UK. This disease affects both dogs and humans.
What is Brucella Canis?
Brucella Canis is a disease caused by a bacteria known as Brucella spp., it is contagious not only between dogs but also between dogs and humans. Until recently it has not been found in the UK but now there have been a few reported cases. Brucella Canis is thought to have come to the UK through dogs being imported from Eastern Europe.
What are the signs of Brucella Canis?
Some dogs can carry the disease and not display any signs of infection. In other cases there is a variety of signs that may be seen:
- Spinal disk infections
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Eye disease
- Reproductive disease (ie swollen testicles in male dogs, abortion or failure to conceive in bitches)
In humans, signs can be mild if you are otherwise healthy. Those that are immunosuppressed (for example, pregnant women or those undergoing chemotherapy), there may be more severe disease. Signs include:
- Fluctuating high temperatures
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Headaches
- Problems during pregnancy
How is Brucella Canis spread?
This disease is spread through the contact of bodily fluids onto your face (eyes, nose, mouth) or broken skin and wounds. Bodily fluids could be those from a bitch giving birth, blood, saliva, semen from male dogs, urine or vaginal fluids.
This means giving birth, mating or veterinary surgery are times where the risk is at it’s highest for infection.
What if my dog has Brucella Canis?
As Brucella Canis is a reportable disease, a positive test result will be reported to the government through the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA). After this, it is likely a public health official will get into contact with you.
Antibiotics have been known to suppress the disease, although unfortunately they cannot completely cure it. Your dog would likely be put on this course of treatment but would have to remain separated from other dogs and humans going forward to avoid spreading the disease. In some cases, the APHA may recommend euthanasia for your pet.
Luckily, Brucella Canis is still very rare in the UK so the likelihood of your pet testing positive is relatively low. These measures of getting dogs tested is a way to ensure that this disease does not become established in the UK.
Do I have to legally get my imported dog tested?
The answer is no, it is not a legal obligation. However here at Rochford Vets we will not register any imported dogs or perform any procedures without a negative Brucella test. We can offer the test here, it is just one blood sample that we send away to the APHA, and results are usually back in 2-3 weeks.
Having your pet tested not only protects yourself and your family, it also protects us your veterinary care team as well as the UK dog population. If your pet has been imported from abroad, specifically Eastern Europe, we implore you to give us a call to discuss getting your pet tested.
Please note: it can take up to 3 months for Brucella antibodies to show within a blood test, which means infected dogs may be given a false negative if tested within 3 months of becoming infected. There is currently no 100% accurate method of screening for Brucella Canis.
Further Information
If you are considering buying or rescuing a dog from abroad, you can make sure that they get tested for Brucella before you make any commitments. Alongside Brucella Canis, other foreign diseases should also be tested for.
By working together we hope to eradicate Brucella Canis from the UK once more, before it becomes endemic.
If you wish to find out more about Brucella Canis, you can use the below link to find information from DEFRA:
http://apha.defra.gov.uk/documents/surveillance/diseases/Canine-Brucellosis-Summary-Final-260421.pdf
