“We’d advise veterinary teams handling suspected cases in imported dogs to use appropriate PPE and to submit samples to laboratories for testing" - Dr Justine Shotton, BVA president.

The BVA and BSAVA have stressed the importance of wearing PPE and reporting suspected cases.

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have reiterated guidance on Brucella Canis (B canis) after the UK's first reported case of dog-to-human transmission.

Sixty-one-year-old Wendy Hayes was hospitalised - and her four dogs euthanised - after importing a German Shepherd cross breed from Belarus carrying the disease. It is the UK's first known dog-to-human transmission of B canis, and the UK's first known dog-to-dog transmission of the disease. 

While B canis is rare in the UK, cases are on the rise owing to an increase of imported dogs – and veterinary organisations and parasitologists have long been concerned about its spread to new owners, charity workers and veterinary professionals. 

BVA
Speaking to Vet Times, BVA president Justine Shotton reiterated the importance of vets handling suspected cases to use appropriate PPE and to submit samples to laboratories for testing.

She said: “Vets in the UK have increasingly been concerned about the risk of B canis and other exotic diseases resulting from the import of dogs with unknown health histories.

“We know there is an added public health risk, too, including for veterinary teams who treat and handle these animals, from contact with an infected dog’s contaminated body tissues and fluids.

“We’d advise veterinary teams handling suspected cases in imported dogs to use appropriate PPE and to submit samples to laboratories for testing. Vets should also continue to flag risks of B canis and other diseases in imported dogs to anyone considering getting a rescue from abroad."

Dr Shotton also urged rescue charities or owners to seek advice from a vet before importing any dog from abroad. 

 "The BVA continues to call 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 emerging diseases," she said.

BSAVA
BSAVA president, Alison Speakman, spoke about the impact the disease can have both on pets and their owners, adding: 

"Concerns about B canis entering the UK via imported dogs from eastern Europe were highlighted by the UK CVO in an open letter to the vets in small animal practice last year and also highlight its presence in in-contact UK-bred animals.

"Dogs harbouring B canis may or may not show clinical signs, and if they do, they can be non-specific. The incubation can be variable, diagnosis is not always straightforward and can be protracted. In practical terms, and in line with the advice in the CVO’s letter, euthanasia is recommended – especially where pets are clinically unwell.

“However, test-positive animals may be clinically normal and owners reluctant to euthanise them, potentially resulting in very limited treatment options, required hygiene measures, and limited contact with other dogs and people – all of which pose practical challenges and significant ongoing risk to in-contact humans and animals for the rest of the dog’s life.”

Dr Speakman continued: “In 2021, the UK CVO recommended vets in practice use appropriate personal protective equipment when handling such pets, and that positive results from diagnostic samples submitted to APHA Weybridge or other laboratories should be reported to the APHA or the relevant competent authority, to arrange follow-up by health protection colleagues. It is essential to notify the lab of the possibility of Brucella infection in any suspected sample submissions.

 “The situation is obviously heartbreaking for this owner, and it sends a message to all who come in contact with imported dogs – particularly from endemic areas – that if the Brucella status of the dog is unknown, they are at risk for acquiring brucellosis and potentially other imported diseases that may pose a risk to the health of pet owners, fosterers and the UK pet population with potentially devastating consequences.”

Further advice and guidance about B canis is available on the BVA and BSAVA websites.