Is your dog imported from outside the UK?
IF THE ANSWER IS “YES”, PLEASE READ ON.
Taking on a rescue dog from abroad can be a very rewarding experience and many of our clients have welcomed a new doggy best friend into their family this way. Sadly, there is sometimes a risk of imported dogs carrying diseases which are not usually found in the UK. These diseases can be very serious for your dog, and some can be passed on to humans too. Imported dogs may be infected without showing any obvious signs of illness themselves.
If you have an imported dog that has not been tested for Brucella canis since importation to the UK (or that has been mated with or born to a non-UK-tested dog) then please get in touch as soon as possible and one of our veterinary surgeons will discuss your dog and whether testing is recommended. Tests are currently £129.50
What is Canine brucellosis?
Canine Brucellosis is a contagious disease (caused by Brucella canis bacteria) found in many parts of the world but, until recently, only rarely in the UK. In the last few years there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases of Brucellosis canis diagnosed in dogs across the UK, mostly in imported dogs or those in close contact with imported dogs.
This infection can spread between dogs but also to humans and is now a notifiable disease and is reportable to APHA (the government Animal and Plant Health Agency).
Veterinary Practices in the UK have been asked by the APHA to be on the lookout for canine brucellosis cases and to set up protocols to protect veterinary staff, owners and our UK dog population from this disease.
The most worrying characteristic of B canis infection is that many infected dogs show no clinical signs for years but can still pass the disease to other dogs and to humans in the meantime. Your imported dog may look well and may have been part of the family for some years but could pose a risk to you, especially if it is not neutered. An infected dog can pass B canis to the veterinary staff caring for it, particularly during surgical operations and dental procedures. The only reliable way to detect the presence of B canis in an imported dog is by blood test.
Why are Friars Moor Vets telling me this?
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.
We are doing this primarily to protect veterinary staff 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 not just for the safety of our staff but the safety of you and our UK dog population.
How is Brucella canis diagnosed?
Brucella is diagnosed by blood tests for antibodies to the disease. Friars Moor is using the APHA recommended double antibody test (SAT and ELISA) and currently our samples are sent directly to the APHA laboratories.
Brucellosis antibodies can take up to three months to show up in a dog after initial infection, so false negative results (when the test result is negative, but the dog does have the disease) can occur if the test is carried out too soon. Testing a dog before it leaves its home country, as many rescues have started to do, is sensible but APHA and ESCCAP still recommend that every imported dog is retested 3-6 months after arrival, and in the case of puppies a second test at 12 months old, when their immune system is considered mature. All the above especially applies when an infected dog has been brought over in a closed van with others, as all the dogs in that transport will inevitably have been exposed to aerosol-borne bacteria and viruses and potentially also to urine and faeces from their fellow traveller. Infection can also be acquired from mating with an infected imported dog or bitch and can be passed from mother to puppies.
IF YOU HAVE AN IMPORTED DOG – what happens next:
If you have 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 draw the blood, our vets & nurses are required to wear PPE, we endeavour 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 takes 1-2wks for results to be returned. At the time of writing, the cost of this blood test is £129.50
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 would (at the time of writing) still undertake to provide veterinary care
– but with specific staff safety measures in place which would be explained to you, and 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. We have several years’ experience of treating a few patients already known to be B canis positive, so we have established protocols in place.
TO CONCLUDE:
If you have an imported dog that has not been tested for Brucella canis since importation to the UK (or that has been mated with or born to a non-UK-tested dog) then please get in touch as soon as possible and one of our veterinary surgeons will discuss your dog and whether testing is recommended. Tests are currently £129.50
Our directors are always happy to chat if you have any further questions.
There has been some considerable misinformation about B canis on social media so we would suggest that you also take a look at the links below for more accurate information:
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/brucella-canis/
