Brucella Canis Protocol (Dogs who have been imported or have travelled abroad)
Ridge Referrals Ltd - Brucella Canis protocol
Having reviewed the information that has been provided by RCVS, BVA, BSAVA and AHPA and completing a risk assessment for Ridge Referrals Ltd we will not be able to accept patients that test positive for 'Brucella canis'. We have a duty of care to our staff, and their health and welfare is our priority.
We will accept referrals for patients that have been imported from high risk countries (see below) or have travelled to high risk countries as long as they have tested negative for Brucella canis (see below for approved laboratory tests), are not actively showing symptoms of Brucella canis (see below) and have been neutered.
If a patient has recently been imported we would recommend a Brucella canis blood sample is run 3 months after import as screening serology tests are not perfect and some dogs with early or chronic disease may give false negative results.
If you have any queries about this protocol, please contact the practice to discuss further.
High risk (require testing): Russia, USA, Canada, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Monenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Moldovia, Romania, Russian federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine.
Low risk (do not require testing): Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Germany, Guernsey, Scilly Isles, Italy, Sicily, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino.
Countries highlighted above in bold are the most common countries we see imports from.
Requested blood tests: TC1032 Brucella canis antibody SAT
TC0116 Brucella canis antibody iELISA
Symptoms sometimes displayed in dogs:
- Infertility (male and female)
- Abortion, ill-thrift puppies, peri-natal mortality
- Enlarged or shrunken testes/epididymis
- Lameness (mainly back pain)
- Spinal pain/discospondylitis
- Unexplained uveitis
- Fever
- Lymphadenomegaly
- Lethargy