Test Your Canine Brucellosis (Brucella canis) IQ!
TRUE or FALSE
1. In the bitch, the more common clinical signs of canine brucellosis (caused by B. canis) are; abortions in the last trimester; stillbirths; or “silent abortions” (infertility).
2. In the male, the main lesions of canine brucellosis are epididymitis, orchitis, prostatitis, and/or generalized lymphadenitis.
3. While canine Brucellosis is considered a “sexually transmitted disease”, animals can and do become infected without copulation.
4. Puppies can be infected with B. canis in utero, from the mother’s vaginal discharge, or her milk, and the pup may remain persistently infected even though they appear clinically normal.
5. A male dog infected with B. canis will only shed the organism in his semen and only for several weeks following infection.
6. Unless a pair of dogs have been previously bred, a virgin pair do not need to be tested prior to their first breeding.
7. In the US there are at least 8 different canine brucellosis diagnostic tests available. The selection of the particular test requested will depend on; 1. the sensitivity of that test; 2. the specificity of that test; 3. and earliest time post-infection for that test to detect an infection.
8. While there are a various canine brucellosis treatments listed in the veterinary literature, most canine brucellosis experts still consider an animal “infected for life”.
9. Canine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease.
10. Canine brucellosis is a “reportable disease” in many states including Kansas.
Canine and Feline Core Vaccine Titer Screening
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