Following on from our last blog article on Brucella Canis (also referred to as B. Canis or B.C) with reference to Romanian or overseas originating rescue dogs residing in the UK, we have received some additional questions from you folks, so we felt it necessary to write a bit more around this subject.
In our last blog article entitled, "Should We Be Worried About Brucella Canis (Also Known As B. Canis & B.C.) In Our Romanian Or Overseas Originating Dog/s?...", we provided a very basic summary of the key facts surrounding this subject. At this point, we would ask you to go back & read that article first before continuing to read this new article, if you haven't already done so...
In our last blog article, we discussed the idea of shopping around for a good B.C friendly vet, even if you have been using your current vet for a number of years & have a good relationship with them. Please do NOT assume that your trusted vet will continue to treat your dog, regardless.
It is important to choose a vet who will take the best possible approach to your dog's care irrespective of their B. Canis status, known or unknown.
As we stated in our last blog, no two vets are taking the same approach to Brucella Canis, so there is choice. For example: you can choose whether or not to have your dog tested & you can choose a vet based on their approach & B.C policies.
📣 Key Points To Remember From Our Last Blog Article On This Subject: 📣
Capital letters are used purposefully!
🐶 A POSITIVE TEST RESULT MAY BE A FALSE POSITIVE, in some cases.
🐶 A POSITIVE TEST RESULT DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE AN ACTIVE INFECTION.
🐶 EUTHANASIA IS NOT THE ONLY OPTION!
🐶 There is currently NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT to TEST your dog for B. Canis! Nor is there any legal requirement to EUTHANISE your dog IF they test POSITIVE!
🐶 The RISK TO HUMANS is deemed as VERY LOW to LOW (immunocompromised individuals MAY experience more severe symptoms, if it affects them).
🐶 ANY RISK TO HUMANS IS MADE NEGLIGIBLE by correctly wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) - even during high risk activities & procedures performed by your vet.
🐶 SPAY & NEUTERING CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF INFECTION, as the cells where the bacterium is most likely to inhabit are removed. This also means a POSITIVE DOG would be LESS LIKELY to have the ability TO SPREAD the disease any further, if spayed or neutered.
🐶 There is currently NO VACCINE available for Brucella Canis nor is there a known CURE. However, long-term antibiotic treatment has been shown in some cases to suppress the infection & even temporarily eradicate the infection.
📣 So, why are some vets reacting to B.C by essentially forcing their clients to test their dogs? Why are some vets recommending euthanasia where a dog tests positive? 📣
The APHA (The Animal & Plant Health Agency) here in the U.K. state euthanasia as the only way to guarantee stopping the spread of B. Canis, so SOME vets are taking this hardline response, rather than offering feasible alternatives.
As you can see, after reflecting on the key points, it's really very important to choose your dog's vet very carefully (for dogs originating from outside of the U.K.) & YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE!
📣 It's also necessary to bear in mind that your vet could change their policy at any time. So, even when you find a good Brucella Canis friendly vet, it's necessary to periodically re-check their stance & always ask for this in writing. 📣
📣 Keep a list of other B.C friendly vets to hand, so if you need to quickly change vets, it will be easier for you to sort. 📣
📣 Always double check the B. Canis policy of your vet's out of hours service providers. Again, you will need to periodically check for policy changes there, too. 📣
It's always best to declare to your vet that your dog is Romanian or overseas originating because a quick check of your dog's microchip &/or records will reveal that they are indeed an overseas originating dog.
Please always ascertain/confirm your vet's approach to B.C BEFORE you take your dog to a vet's appointment, that way you can avoid any unnecessary surprises!
So, you might be wondering what questions to ask your vet in writing? (Please always ensure that you receive the answers in writing.)
Here are some suggestions provided by the two Facebook groups that I mention below:
🐕 Could you please explain what your policy is towards the treatment & care of my overseas originating dog/s, in particular your stance towards Brucella Canis.
🐕 Will my overseas originating dog/s require a Brucella Canis test before you will agree to continue with their care [OR] before you will agree to treat & care for my dog/s) [Delete as applicable].
🐕 If emergency/out of hours care is provided by another practice or service provider on your behalf, what is their policy on Brucella Canis & do they require a test?
Should your practice require a test, then...
🐕 Does the practice ask for the SAT only test, or Sat + ELISA tests?
🐕 Where are the bloods sent for testing?
🐕 How much does the test(s) cost?
🐕 How long will it take for the results to come back?
If I agree to test my dog/s & should the result be positive, then...
🐕 What level of care would my dog receive from you & the out of hours care provider you employ?
🐕 If the test result is borderline positive, which could imply a possible false positive, what is your policy on retesting? Would full care be provided to my dog until a retest is done both by yourselves & your out of hours care provider? Would a retest be done after 3 - 4 months time?
🐕 Would my dog receive emergency surgery from yourselves & your out of hours care provider, if required, during this waiting period? If not, what would be the reason for this?
Please note: your vet might ask you to contact their out of hours service provider separately, so be prepared to send out a few emails, which you can simply copy & paste from the original email to your vets.
To double check your vet's position periodically, as well as their out of hours service provider, we would suggest that you re-forward their last answers back to them & simply ask them if all of their previous responses to your questions still apply. Ask them to reply in writing to confirm any changes to their B. Canis policy or to confirm that there has been no changes to their B.C policy.
Should you need any further help with these questions or any of the answers that the veterinary practice might give you, or should you need any help or support in the event of a positive test result, please head over to these two Facebook groups, which are brilliant resources & are run by some very friendly, helpful & knowledgeable people...
📣 Brucella Canis RVN:
📣 Brucella Canis Information / Support Group:
Here you will also find a very useful list of B. Canis friendly vets. And it's a brilliant place to visit should you like to increase your knowledge of B.C or if you would like to understand the science behind B. Canis a bit better.
📣 Remember, B.C doesn't have to mean a death sentence for your Romanian or overseas originating dog & it shouldn't compromise the level of care your dog receives from your vet! You have choices & so does your dog! 📣
📌 All information contained here is up-to-date as per the 19th May 2024. To stay fully up-to-date, we suggest that you join the two Facebook groups highlighted above & check them regularly, also keeping an eye on any relevant new press releases made by the UK Government, the UKHSA, DEFRA & the APHA.
📌 All information given here relating to vets, is based on the recent experiences of recent/current Romanian or overseas originating dog owners & as highlighted via the two Facebook groups shown above.
📌 This article is supplied for information purposes only, to help YOU make the best informed decisions about your dog or any future dogs. We cannot be held responsible for the decisions YOU make nor the outcomes of YOUR decisions.
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📣 Please remember to always choose no harm, fear free, force free & non-aversive training methods based on mutual respect, trust & positive reinforcement. Please always consider that a behaviour that YOU might find undesirable might be quite normal behaviour to your dog, the behaviour might be motivated by a past trauma/fear, or it might be motivated by your dog's emotional response to something. Always treat your dog with love, patience, empathy, understanding & kindness - even if they do have toileting accidents or if they chew your favourite slippers. 📣🙏
📍 The dog behaviour & training world is largely unregulated here in the U.K. & not all are equal. Please do your homework & always choose a behaviourist or trainer carefully. Look at the methods of training they use & the stance they choose to adopt. Always check their qualifications, accreditations & references/feedback carefully. 📍
🐕 Pictured is our Hot Rod 🔥 (aka Rodney) from Romania, enjoying some sunshine. 🌞
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