Vets have issued an urgent warning about the serious health risks of importing dogs from abroad into Britain It follows a woman being hospitalised after the first dog-to-human case of the disease Brucella canis in the UK.
The British Veterinary Association is also repeating its calls for the Government to tighten the rules on importing pets. It wants all prospective dog owners to rehome dogs from within the UK, rather than the risk of bringing in so-called 'Trojan' dogs from abroad.
Earlier this month, a positive Brucella canis test was confirmed on a rescue dog imported from Belarus in March this year. The woman fostering the dog was hospitalised after coming into close contact with it, while the fostered animal and four pet dogs who were exposed to the disease all had to be euthanised.
Stray dogs in some European countries and other parts of the world often live in harsh conditions. Along with Brucella canis, they may harbour other undetected and potentially life-threatening exotic diseases not found in the UK, such as leishmaniasis, rabies, canine babesiosis and heartworm, without showing any outward clinical symptoms.
When imported into the UK, such chronically infected ‘Trojan’, or carrier, dogs risk passing on the infections to susceptible pets and, in the case of some diseases, to humans as well. These infections can be difficult to detect or successfully treat in such carrier dogs.
Symptoms
The Brucella canis bacterium causes canine brucellosis, an infectious disease that leads to often painful and chronic illness in dogs, as well as serious health risks to humans and other dogs exposed to them. Symptoms in dogs include reproductive issues, including miscarriages during the last trimester of pregnancy in females and inflammation of the prostrate and testicles in males, as well as spinal problems in chronic cases.
Treatment is often unsuccessful, and, in many cases, vets will recommend euthanasia keeping in mind the welfare of the dog.
What the BVA says
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton said: “This recent case of Brucella canis in a foster dog is extremely tragic and highlights why vets have long raised concerns over the real and serious risks of importing ‘Trojan’ rescue dogs with unknown health histories into the UK.
“We are a nation of animal lovers, and so the desire to rescue stray, neglected or abused animals from other countries and give them loving homes in this country is completely understandable. Unfortunately, as this case shows, the hidden consequence of this can be disastrous for the health and welfare of other pets as well as humans here. This includes the risk to veterinary teams who treat and handle these animals.
“With thousands of dogs needing homes within the UK, the British Veterinary Association is strongly urging prospective owners to adopt from a UK-based rehoming charity instead. You can also support organisations in countries abroad to rescue and rehabilitate any stray animals locally.
“If you already own an imported dog, be vigilant to symptoms of Brucella canis and other exotic diseases and call your local vet for advice on testing and treatment for any underlying conditions.”
Rise in Brucella canis cases since 2020
Data released by the Government shows a steep rise in confirmed Brucella canis cases since the start of 2020, rising from just three before that year to 107 till July this year. The dogs were all either imported from countries such as Romania, Bosnia, Greece, and Belarus, returned from holiday overseas, or been bred with an imported dog.
Who is at risk?
While rescue dogs are a particular risk group for Brucella canis, importing any dog from countries with high levels of stray dog populations and known presence of the disease will carry a risk. This includes puppies bred for commercial sale in such countries. BVA advises anyone looking to adopt or buy an imported dog to make sure it has been tested for this disease and neutered before being brought into the UK.
How worried are vets?
A BVA survey of vets in 2018 showed that more than nine out of ten companion animal vets in the UK were concerned about the import of rescue dogs. Worryingly, 40% of these vets had seen new or rare conditions in their practice over the previous year that are associated with dog import. BVA calls on the government to impose strict restrictions on the movement of pets, including testing in stray dogs for any such diseases as a mandatory before travel to the UK. It also calls for the strengthening of enforcement provisions and checks on dogs brought in through the commercial route.
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton added: “While some charities do carry out some pre-import health tests, there's currently no requirement to test for diseases not commonly found in the UK. We would ask all rescue charities to test dogs for Brucella canis and other exotic diseases of concern before importing them to the UK, and to seek advice from a vet here to ensure compliance with import best practice.
"We at the British Veterinary Association continue to call on the Government to take urgent action to introduce stricter pet import measures, including mandatory pre-import testing for dogs coming into the UK, so we can minimise the spread of such emerging diseases."
