Introduction
- Cause : systemic bacterial infection caused by Brucella canis.
- Signs :
- Female - abortion, weak pups, infertility, early embryonic death, conception failure.
- Male - epididymitis, orchitis, prostatitis, infertility, spermatic abnormalities, inflammatory cells in semen.
- Treatment : nothing consistently successful.
- Naturally recovered dogs immune to re-infection, treated dogs not solidly immune.
Diagnosis
Clinical signs
- Usually afebrile.
- Generalized lymph node enlargement.
- Orchitis/epididymitis.
- Scrotal dermatitis.
- Dermatitis/discharging sinuses.
- Uveitis.
Sequelae
Prognosis
- Guarded.
- No consistently successful treatment known.
- Naturally recovered dogs are immune to reinfection, treated dogs not solidly immune.
- Infected male dogs rarely, if ever, recover (they become sterile).
- Testicular atrophy may develop as a sequela to acute disease.
- Infertility apparent from 2 weeks post-infection.
- 2-5 weeks: 30-80% abnormal sperm; 20 weeks: 90% abnormal sperm.
Expected response to treatment
- Females may have viscous vaginal discharge for several weeks after abortion.
- Prolonged bacteremia up to 2 years possible with some infections.
- Carrier state - relapses common.
Reasons for treatment failure
- Frequent treatment failures.
Sources
Publications
Refereed papers
- Jacobson R H (1996) Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases. Semin Vet Med Surg (Small Anim) 11 (3), 133-197.
- Mateu-de-Antonio E M et al(1994) Comparison of serologic tests used in canine brucellosis diagnosis. J Vet Diag Invest 6 (2), 257-259.
Other sources of information
- Greene C E (2000) Bacterial diseases. In: Textbook of Veterinary internal Medicine, 5th edn Eds S J Ettinger & E C Feldman. Philedelphia, PA: W B Saunders Co. pp 183-186.
- Nelson R W & Couto C G (1992) Genital infections and transmissible venereal tumors. In: Essentials of Small Animal Internal Medicine.Mosby Year Book. Chapter 62.
