23) Should We Be Worried About Brucella Canis (Also Known As B. Canis & B.C.) In Our Romanian Or Overseas Originating Dog/s? (This Article Is Intended For Prospective, New & Current Owners).
- alexpatchworkpaws
- Apr 21, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Aug 28, 2024
Here at Patchwork Paws H.Q., we're receiving a lot of messages from concerned dog lovers about Brucella Canis (also referred to as B. Canis or B.C) with reference to Romanian or overseas originating rescue dogs.
With this in mind, we are hoping to provide a very basic summary of the key facts surrounding this subject. We will not be delving too deeply into the scientific side of things, but we will point you towards some useful resources should you want to learn more.
This article has been created with prospective, new & current Romanian & overseas dog owners in mind.
We'd like to start this article by getting straight to the point...
The recently published HAIRS Risk Assessment Report, as published on the UK Government website states that...
Although Brucella Canis is classified as 'zoonotic' (defined as an infectious disease that can be transmitted between species from animals to humans, specifically from dogs in this instance) the probability of a human being infected with a form of Brucellosis as a result (passed from a dog) is considered VERY LOW for the general UK population. Furthermore, the probability of human infection is considered LOW for those at greater risk of exposure, such as dog breeders, kennel workers, veterinary personnel, laboratory staff, & owners of infected dogs. Immunocompromised individuals MAY be at higher risk of severe infection.
At the time of the HAIRS report being published in September 2023, there had been two cases of human infection reported where the people involved had been engaged in high risk activities (one of whom was also immunocompromised). The latter noted person exhibited clinical signs. Both people were successfully treated.
Source:
The UKHSA (formerly Public Health England) states that:
Any risk to humans is made negligible by correctly wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Thus, even high risk activities & procedures carried out by your vet can pose just a negligible risk to them, through the correct use of the appropriate PPE.
These points are crucial in starting any dialogue on this subject. Why? Because it highlights any potential risk to us, which is VERY LOW - LOW depending on our potential exposure, & how we can successfully mitigate any potential risks down to negligible risk levels.
So, let's talk about vets. Vets are run as businesses & as such, they have formulated their own policies on B. Canis. Some vets have been guided by the newest research & thinking around this subject, & therefore, acknowledge its low risk. These vets will be happy to treat your dog without the need for further testing first. Other vets will take a more cautious approach but will still be happy to treat your dog, without the need for further testing, providing you pay a nominal fee for their PPE use at each visit. Then, there are vets who will insist on further testing, & if you don't comply with this policy, they might only provide very basic services for your dog or refuse to treat your dog at all. If your dog subsequently comes back with a positive result after testing, some vets may still treat your dog with PPE, some may only provide your dog with a basic level of service, some may refuse to treat your dog at all, & some vets may RECOMMEND euthanasia. 😳
So, how did we jump from a vet being happy to continue to treat your dog without a test, to a potential euthanasia risk should your dog test positive? Given what we already know, the latter seems a bit extreme in the context of so many different approaches being adopted by different vets!
The APHA (The Animal & Plant Health Agency) actually RECOMMENDS euthanasia as their preferred course of action, if a dog should test positive, as it's the only way of eradicating the risk, albeit a very low to low risk. So, this is UK Government policy. Therefore, some vets are adopting this recommendation as a part of their policy.
However, this is just a recommendation & it is your choice & your right to make your own informed decisions about your dog. You can decide whether you want to test or not by choosing a vet on their approach to B.C, & you can choose what to do should your dog test positive. Euthanasia is NOT the only option!
Going back to your vets now, it would appear that some vets are basing some of their policies on older research & thinking! In vets who prefer to test, most will discuss Brucella Canis with you before they test & they will most likely provide you with a fact sheet to support their policies. If you should encounter this, we would always recommend that you go off & do your own research &/or consult the Facebook resources that we will discuss shortly, first. Some vets might, for example, tell you that you cannot walk a B. Canis positive dog in public areas. This is not true & there is no scientific evidence available to support this restriction.
It is also worth noting that some vets may wish to repeat such tests again three - four months later, where a dog is new to the UK. This is due to the bacterium's possible incubation period.
Our overall advice is that any concerned Romanian or overseas originating dog owners should ask their vet what their Brucella Canis policy is in writing, and also clarify the policy of any out-of-hours vets used. Depending upon their response, you may choose to shop around for a new vet. If, for example, your vet will only continue to fully treat your dog after a negative test result is achieved & they recommend euthanasia for a positive dog, then you might consider shopping around for a new vet. This should be done BEFORE any testing takes place, as otherwise, finding a new vet might become difficult if the dog has already tested positive. Test prices seem to be varied & wide-ranging between vets so, should you want to test, you might still decide to shop around.
Just to recap... considering what we already know, euthanasia appears to be quite an extreme reaction, one which isn't clearly shared by all vets. Remember the risk to us is VERY LOW to LOW & PPE reduces any risk significantly to negligible risk levels.
There is currently NO legal requirement to get your dog tested for B. Canis! Nor is there any legal requirement to euthanise your dog if they test positive!
Obviously, it is worth pointing out that this whole scenario is creating a bit of a lottery situation when it comes to selecting a vet. But there is help out there...
There are two very useful & helpful pages & groups on Facebook who are currently compiling a list of B.C friendly vets. They provide template emails that you can use to ask your vet all of the correct questions. These groups also dive deeper into this subject so, if you'd like to increase your knowledge or to understand the science behind this better, we would recommend that you pop over to these invaluable Facebook resources:
Brucella Canis RVN:
Brucella Canis Information / Support Group:
So, let's briefly touch on testing. No test is 100% foolproof, & as such, these B. Canis tests can produce false negatives & false positives. Regardless, once your dog is identified as being positive, they will always be deemed as positive (even if they later test negative) & your dog will be officially recorded as such.
Furthermore, the tests combined actually look at whether your dog has ever been exposed to the bacterium. They DO NOT necessarily show active infection. So, your dog might not actually have an active infection, but still test positive.
We also note that some test results have actually been misread by some vets, so always ask to review any such test results yourself. The Facebook resources already highlighted above will put you in contact with some very helpful people who will help you to review & understand your test results if needed.
So, what exactly is B. Canis, in a nutshell?
B.C is a blood-borne bacterium which likes to live in your dog's reproductive tissues. Transmission is most often through direct dog-to-dog contact via infected bodily fluids & tissues. The primary route of transmission is via reproduction. The infection can also pass in utero to the puppies of an infected mother.
A dog with B.C may exhibit no clinical signs at all.
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 spay or neutered.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available for B. Canis.
Long-term antibiotic treatment has been shown in some cases to suppress the infection, & even temporarily eradicate the infection. However there is no known cure for Brucella Canis.
B.C is particularly endemic in Eastern Europe, but can be found in other countries worldwide. This is why many vets will have a blanket policy for all Romanian or overseas originating rescue dogs, regardless of their country of origin (not including UK born dogs, of course) regardless of their time in the country, & whether or not they show any clinical signs.
If you are considering the rehoming of an Romanian or overseas originating rescue dog, we cannot stress this enough: open a dialogue with your chosen rescue/s to establish what diseases they test for, ask them when, in the preparation to travel process, they perform the tests & what sort of tests they use. Please see our sections on, "ROMANIAN / OVERSEAS RESCUE DOGS", particularly blog numbers 1 - 10 (except for blog number 7) for further details on this & how to choose a good & reputable rescue to adopt from.
Most rescues will use a rapid, on the spot test, where a result is determined there & then. Again, this isn't 100% foolproof, as we have already touched on above.
It is worth noting that the APHA here in the UK uses a combination of blood tests (sent to their laboratory for analysis) to determine if a dog is positive for the bacterium. This is, in fact, the same set of tests that your vet will use, so if you opt for your vet to test your dog, please be prepared for a rather anxious wait for the results.
Most rescues will not use the APHA testing route, which is why some vets will not accept the results supplied by your rescue & may still want to conduct their own tests.
Again, if you would like to gain a better insight into the actual testing, the science behind such tests, & increase your general knowledge of B.C, we would strongly recommend that you visit the two Facebook resources highlighted above.
We do hope this article will help you to navigate through this current minefield.
Please do not let Brucella Canis stop you from considering the fostering or adoption of an Romanian or overseas originating dog. What we would suggest you do first is consult our sections on, "ROMANIAN / OVERSEAS RESCUE DOGS" & then consult the two Facebook resources highlighted above. BEFORE you commit to an Romanian or overseas originating dog, secure a B.C friendly vet for them FIRST!
As you can see, B. Canis doesn't have to be a death sentence for your dog!
* All information contained here is up-to-date as per the 21st April 2024. To stay fully up-to-date, we suggest that you join the 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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