Brucellosis in dogs

It may come as a surprise to the dog owner or dog breeder to learn that dogs can carry and pass on sexually transmitted diseases, which can have a negative effect on the breeding dogs involved and even threaten the health of the eventual puppies. Brucellosis is one of the most serious venereal diseases that dogs can suffer from, and one that is easily passed on during the mating process, and from the bitch to the puppies themselves. Brucellosis can even be passed across different species of animals by means of normal, everyday contact, and humans can catch the condition too. Brucellosis can cause a whole litter of puppies to miscarry or not survive into adulthood, and is something that every professional breeder or hobbyist dog owner who is considering breeding from their dog should be aware of.

What is brucellosis?

Brucellosis is a bacteria that comes in many different strains, most of them mainly specific to a particular species of animal. Brucellosis of different types can also, however, be passed across different species with ease. Brucella canis is the strain of brucellosis that dogs are most likely to carry and become infected with, although this is by no means the only strain of brucellosis that is capable of affecting dogs. Brucellosis can lead to the miscarriage of puppies, and sickness and death in puppies carried to term, as the condition can be passed on both while in the womb and through the milk of the dam. Left untreated, brucellosis in the adult dog can lead to infertility, eye inflammations and infections, multiple-joint arthritis, painful inflammation of the spinal discs, and a range of kidney problems and problems with the urinary tract.

How do dogs become infected with brucellosis?

While brucellosis in breeding dogs is most commonly transmitted via mating, it can also be passed onto nursing puppies or prior to birth in the womb. It is also carried in faeces and urine, so simply sniffing around another dog’s faeces or anal glands can cause transmission too. Brucellosis in the environment, such as in the ground and on bedding and feeding bowls can remain present for weeks or even months, but can be killed with disinfectants or bleach.

Testing for brucellosis

It is wise to have any dogs that are intended to be used for breeding tested for brucellosis, particularly if using a stud dog that is owned by another party. Stud dogs often serve a significant number of bitches, and can easily catch and pass on the disease unless testing prior to breeding is performed. Many owners of stud dogs will insist that any bitches brought to their dog are tested and certified negative for brucellosis before proceeding.

A simple blood slide test can be used to test for the presence of brucellosis in the bloodstream, although this test has a reputation for returning a high number of false positives. If the test shows negative for brucellosis then it can fairly be considered that the dog is not infected, but a positive test result will require further investigation and should not be taken as a standalone indication that the dog is carrying the condition.

First and foremost, if a dog tests positive for brucellosis, they should not be used for breeding until it can be established if the positive test result was or was not definitive. The dog in question should be isolated from other dogs to remove the risk of transmission to others, particularly dogs that are intended to be used for breeding. Other dogs that have been kept in close quarters with an infected dog should also be tested for the presence of brucellosis as well.

A dog that has contracted brucellosis may still remain a carrier for the condition even after successful treatment, and so these dogs should not be used for breeding in future, as they may still have the potential to infect other dogs.

Treatment and prognosis for dogs with brucellosis

There are a variety of treatment methods available to cure a brucellosis infection in the dog, generally involving a prolonged period of treatment with a relatively heavy-duty antibiotic. Doxycycline is commonly used to treat the condition, although your vet may prefer to look at a different option as Doxycycline can have a negative affect on the kidneys, which already may be placed under additional strain due to the presence of the brucellosis infection itself.

Other antibiotics such as streptomycin and tetracycline can be used, and the treatment protocol that is deemed best for any particular dog can only be decided upon by your veterinary surgeon.

It often requires an extended course of medication or repeated treatments for several weeks to completely eradicate brucellosis, and until the dog being treated returns a definitive clear result upon re-testing, they should be handled and cared for very carefully to avoid transmitting the condition to other dogs or even people and other species of animals.

Dogs that are treated for the condition are generally considered to be carriers of the bacteria for the duration of their lives, but should go on to make a full recovery. Advanced untreated cases of brucellosis in dogs can lead to complications such as kidney, eye and spinal problems, which may need treatment themselves, however most dogs with brucellosis (unless left untreated until the very late stages of the condition) should remain healthy after treatment for the duration of their lives.