A "heartbroken" pet owner has been forced to put her five dogs to sleep after being the first person in the UK to be diagnosed with a rare animal-borne disease.
Wendy Hayes, from Stoke-on-Trent, had no choice but to euthanise her beloved dogs, after she contracted brucella canis from a Belarusian rescue dog she was fostering.
Pregnant Moosha had only been with the 61 year-old for three days before symptoms started, as she miscarried her puppies throughout the home in a "horrific" 17-hour ordeal.
Both owner and dog were diagnosed with the illness two months after Wendy began to show severe symptoms.
While Wendy is recovering and on antibiotics, she still feels the guilt for having to make the decision to say goodbye to her loving dogs.
As brucella canis is found mostly in imported dogs, they pose a higher risk than UK-based canines, as there is currently no testing mandates for such diseases.
Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association told the Record: "Vets in the UK are increasingly concerned about the disease risks from the import of dogs with unknown health histories.
"While some charities do carry out pre-import health tests on these so-called Trojan dogs, there's currently no requirement to test for diseases such as canine brucellosis, which are not commonly found in the UK.
There is also an added risk for public health, including for veterinary teams who treat and handle these animals, due to contact with an infected dog’s contaminated body tissues, urine, blood and saliva."
"That is why we always advise people who want to rehome dogs to go to UK-based charities.
"We're also calling on the government to take urgent action to introduce mandatory pre-import testing for dogs coming into the UK so we can stop the spread of such new diseases."
But what exactly is brucella canis? And how can it be transmitted to humans? Here's everything you should know.
What is Brucella canis?
Brucella canis is a bacterial organism which primarily affects the reproductive organs of male and female dogs.
In female dogs, the bacterium can cause infertility and miscarriages. In male dogs, it can result in scrotal inflammation and infertility, according to Pet Health Network.
This nasty disease can cause puppies to be stillborn, which is unfortunately what Moosha experienced. Dogs pass it on through contact, including during sex.
Dogs of all ages and breeds can suffer from brucella canis, but it is more common in mature dogs. It is what's known as a zootonic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Humans can catch brucella canis through dogs by contact with infected fluids, especially during breeding or birth.
According to the British Veterinary Association (BVA), most cases of brucella canis have been found in imported dogs.
Up until July 2020, transmission usually affected single imported dogs, as rates remained isolated and sporadic in the UK.
It was at this time that the largest incident occurred at a breeding establishment in England, in which both imported and UK-bred dogs were found to be infected.
Symptoms
If your dog has brucella canis, they will probably exhibit some of the following signs:
- Lethargy
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Difficulty walking
- Back pain
- Weak, sickly newborn puppies
- Vaginal discharge
- Swollen testicles
- Inflammation of the skin around the scrotum
Diagnosis
Brucella canis can be a difficult disease to detect. Your veterinarian may recommend several tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Such tests can include:
- Spinal x-rays to see if changes in the spine are consistent with brucellosis
- A cytology and culture to determine if a bacterial infection is present
- A complete blood count to rule out any blood abnormalities, such as anemia
- Chemistry tests to evaluate kidney, liver, and pancreatic function, as well as sugar levels
- Special antibody and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for brucellosis
Treatment
If your dog has been diagnosed with brucella canis, your veterinarian will most likely recommend spaying or neutering, to reduce the spread.
Additionally, a combination of antibiotics will likely be recommended to treat your best friend. Follow up testing is recommended to assess if treatment is successful.
Prevention
The best way to prevent brucella canis is to spay or neuter your dog to prevent the spread to other dogs.
Breeding your dog should be a very well-considered decision, so make sure you consult with with your veterinarian the potential consequences before taking further steps.
Brucella canis and humans
While the disease in humans is rare, those who contract it can develop intense symptoms. Brucella canis is part of the bacterium family which causes brucellosis in humans.
It is rarely fatal, but symptoms can be debilitating. According to t he NHS, signs of brucellosis can take several weeks to appear.
They include:
- a high temperature
- loss of appetite
- sweating
- headaches
- extreme tiredness
- back and joint pain
Humans can also contract brucellosis in other ways:
- drinking milk that has not been pasteurised (heat-treated to kill bacteria)
- eating dairy products, like cheese and ice cream, made from unpasteurised milk
- eating raw or undercooked meat
Catching brucellosis through other people is extremely rare.
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