IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING IMPORTED DOGS 

Canine brucellosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Brucella Canis. This bacteria is currently not present in the dog population in the UK however, we are seeing increasing numbers of imported dogs arriving in the UK with this disease. Many dogs with brucellosis have no clinical signs, therefore, unless you screen imported dogs, cases can easily be missed.  

 We worry about brucellosis in dogs for two reasons.  

• Firstly, this is a zoonotic infection, which means that dogs can infect humans. The disease in people can be very serious, thus it is important we know if dogs are carrying the disease.  

• Secondly, brucellosis in dogs is very hard, if not impossible, to treat effectively. Consequently, dogs are assumed to be life-long carriers once they are infected which means they act as a source of infection to other dogs (and people).  

As mentioned above, in many cases infected dogs are asymptomatic (show no signs), however Brucella Canis can cause a variety of possible problems including inflammation of the joints (polyarthritis), infection of the intervertebral discs in the back (discospondylitis), enlarged lymph nodes, fever, vaginal or preputial discharge, abortion and testicular asymmetry.  

We want you, our clients, to be fully informed but also, following APHA and Public Health England advice, and alongside other clinics in the UK, we are implementing a Brucella Canis screening protocol.   

This is to primarily protect our team who are potentially exposed to body fluids while treating your pets but also to do our bit in trying to prevent this disease from becoming endemic in the UK. In addition, if a member of your household is or becomes immunosuppressed or is an infant (with an immature immune system) it’s best to know if your pet is carrying Brucella Canis.  

At present, when you phone us for appointments, our receptionists may ask if you own any imported dogs or any dogs that have lived abroad. Please be patient if you are asked this more than once. We are looking out for not just for the safety of our staff but for the safety of you and our UK dog population. 

IF YOU HAVE AN IMPORTED DOG – what happens next:  

If you have an APHA certificate indicating a negative Brucella Canis test result we shall ask to see it (it can be brought in or emailed, whichever is easier). If this test was carried out in the UK at an appropriate time after arrival, then we will accept this as evidence of your dog being free from the disease.  A negative test taken when your dog was still living in an infected country does not totally exclude the possibility of disease as it can take 3 months for antibodies to form so if your dog has not yet been tested in the UK, we will ask you to test again.   

To take a blood sample for testing, our vets & nurses are required to wear Personal Protective Equipment, we endeavor to keep this as animal friendly as possible. You are encouraged to stay with your pet and even to hold them yourself if you wish to do so as this usually helps dogs to be less worried.  Some clients prefer not to do so, and this is perfectly ok – after all, you know your dog better than we do.  

Clients may request sedative-type medication for their pet prior to the appointment. We have tried and trusted protocols for this that we already use for standard visits for some of our more nervous patients.  

The blood will be sent to the APHA laboratory, and it takes 1-2 weeks for the results to be returned. At the time of writing, the cost of this blood test is £180.60 

Testing of imported dogs is not yet legally required but, because of the risk to our staff during some treatments, if you do not have your imported dog tested, we will, sadly, be forced to request that you seek alternative veterinary care.   We would like to state that if your dog returns a positive test we will (at the time of writing) still undertake to provide veterinary care.  However, with specific staff safety measures in place which would be explained to you and drawing from a reduced pool of veterinary staff. In addition, we would not be able to offer certain higher-risk procedures such as scaling and polishing of teeth or neutering.  

If you have further questions about canine brucellosis please do not hesitate to speak to the Veterinary Surgeon in charge of your dog’s case.  

Further detailed information can be found online.  

Brucella canis: information for the public and dog owners – GOV.UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disease-information-notes-from-apha