Brucellosis
Overview:
Brucella canis is a bacteria that is contagious among dogs. It causes abortion and infertility in females and testicular abnormalities in males.
Causes:
This bacteria is most commonly sexually transmitted. The risk of transmission is high in breeding kennels.
Symptoms:
Unfortunately, some females will have no symptoms. Brucellosis should be suspected in any dog that has aborted. Also be suspicious if the female has loss of libido, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, or back pain. Males infected with Brucellosis may have swollen testicles, swollen lymph nodes, cloudy eyes, weakness, or ataxia. In chronic cases, their testicles can become shrunken.
Treatment:
Infected animals should NEVER be bred and castrated or spayed immediately. Even after neutering, animals should be treated with a combination of tetracycline and dihydrostreptomycin. Owners should be aware that their pet may never be completely cured of Brucellosis, but symptoms can be eradicated.
