Image credit: Anna Bajur. Bacteria growing on a Petri dish.
Recently, I was approached by a student from the University of Sussex who is studying zoonotic diseases, specifically Brucella canis (B. canis).
I must admit that B. canis is a disease that I had not heard of before I was approached. Hence, I was more than happy to take part in the survey, especially given my occupation. Plus I do feel that she had reached out for help. My daughter is doing a PhD in immunology and so I felt compelled to help as I would like to think people would help her if she asked.
Please forgive me as I am not a scientist but I will try and explain what B. canis is and why we should all be aware of the disease.
B. canis is a bacterium that causes canine brucellosis. This bacterial infection is highly contagious between dogs. Infected dogs will develop an infection in their reproductive system so it can be passed as a sexually transmitted disease. Hence, the disease is most common in adult dogs that are still sexually intact and can cause reproductive issues, such as infertility and miscarriage.
For a male dog, the infection will occur in part of a testicle. Whilst a newly infected dog will show signs of an enlarged testicle or scrotum, in long-term infections the testicles will appear shrunken. Female dogs, on the other hand, develop an infection in their uterus and this leads to fertility issues. A female dog that is infected may well conceive but the body often rejects the pregnancy and aborts it and/or the puppies are born still or pass away within days after birth. Female dogs will often show signs of vaginal discharge. Apart from fertility issues, there are typically few signs of clinical illness.
With B. canis, there is a small risk the disease can be passed to humans and so every dog owner is at risk. Those with compromised immune systems need to take extra care as they cannot fight off the infection quite so easily. A study shows that dog breeders, veterinary staff and all people working with dogs on a daily basis are at a much higher risk of getting infected. Hence why the student contacted me and why studying it is so important.
The disease is transmitted between dogs by bodily fluids. As such, this is why it is of concern to those working with dogs. Any of us working with dogs will tell you that most of the time we are being slobbered on or dealing with little accidents. This also explains why it is so highly transmissible between dogs, as they love to sniff and lick each other! Currently, there is no cure for B. canis and whilst antibiotics can help control the infection, they never eliminate the bacteria. Therefore, the dog is considered infectious for the rest of its life, to both other dogs and humans.
The risk of B. canis infection is higher in dogs who are imported and arrive from endemic countries. Dogs from Romania have been highlighted as those of particular concern. That said the British Veterinary Association are not only concerned about commercially imported dogs from Romania but also other European States. I for one know many Romanian rescue dogs and equally dogs that have been rescued from Greece and Spain - all with heartbreaking stories.
Since learning about this disease by chance from the student, I have read many articles on B. canis and have found it all very interesting. I hope that it remains at very low risk within the United Kingdom. My worry is that, in the future, it maybe something that is common and as such all dog professionals will need to be very aware and act accordingly. Sadly this is not going to go away anytime soon given that there is no cure!
The survey is still live until the end of January 2022 and I know that research from the survey is lacking regarding breeders. If you feel that you would like to take part, please do. I know that it would mean a lot to the young lady who is undertaking this research.
I have found this website particularly insightful but, of course, you should speak to your vet if you are at all concerned.
All views and opinions are my own. If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s dog you should seek advice from professional services (useful contacts can be found here).
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