Brucella Testing

What is Canine Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Brucella canis. It primarily affects dogs, but it is also a zoonotic disease meaning it can be transmitted to humans.

Humans can contract brucellosis through contact with infected dogs or their bodily fluids. Although the disease is currently relatively rare in the UK, there has been an increase in reported cases in recent years. This rise is thought to be associated with the growing popularity of rehoming and rescuing dogs from abroad, some of which may arrive in the UK carrying the infection.

Brucellosis is a notifiable disease and suspected or confirmed cases must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Symptoms in Dogs

Brucellosis is currently very rare in the UK, but signs may include:

Fever

Lethargy

Neck or spinal pain

Lameness

Enlarged lymph nodes

Weight loss

Reproductive issues such as infertility or abortion

Swelling and or discharge from the penis or vulva

However, most of the infected dogs we see do not show any symptoms.

Why should I get my dog tested and how long does it take?

Testing is carried out by submitting a blood sample to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for analysis. Test results typically take 7-14 days to be returned. Once received, the results will be interpreted and reported to you by one of our Veterinary Surgeons.

What if my dog has a positive result?

In the case of a positive result, we WILL still see your pet and treat them but we will need to put extra precautions in place for our staff. In certain situations (blood sampling, urine sample analysis, surgical procedures, and inpatient care etc.) This will involve staff wearing Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and different practice cleaning protocols will be necessary – we shall NOT REFUSE veterinary care to a Brucella positive dog – we strongly advise neutering ASAP if not already done – we advise testing all other dogs in the household – we’ll discuss your household protection and containment of infection spread in more detail.

Arden House Policy:

To help keep both our team and our clients safe, we ask that you follow these guidelines:

1

Please inform our team if your dog was imported from outside the UK.

2

We strongly recommend that all imported dogs are tested for Brucella.

3

If your dog has already been tested, we are happy to accept certification - they will still need a subsequent test a minimum of 3 months after arriving in the UK. This is to allow time for antibodies to develop in cases that may have been exposed around the time of importation.

4

If you choose not to have your dog tested for Brucella, we will follow our infection prevention protocol, which includes waiting outside, and our staff will wear PPE (personal protective equipment) to examine your dog. As the owner you will incur an extra cost to cover the PPE and isolation.

5

If an imported dog requires emergency treatment, the animal must be kept in isolation and PPE be worn for all handling. As the owner you will incur an extra cost to cover the PPE and isolation.

We appreciate that this requirement may be frustrating for some owners. However, the safety and wellbeing of our staff must remain our priority. Exposure to Brucella can result in serious health complications, including miscarriage and fertility problems, and we have a responsibility to reduce these risks as far as possible. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe workplace.