Brucella

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

We got our Romanian Rescue via a UK foster in February 2020. Our vets (who are part of a big chain), asked me this morning at his health check if he had been tested for Brucella. I can see on his passport that he was tested in February 2019 prior to him coming to the UK and that this was negative.
Just wondering if anyone has had any experience of this with their Romanian Rescue? Would you get them re-tested if they had the test prior to them coming to the UK?
I'm just waiting to hear back from the Vets to see what they say now that they know he has had a negative test back in February 2019.

I got both of my girls retested after 3 months from arrival even though they were both negative in their passports and both were negative again, I know I could have changed vets but mine is really convenient so I just went with it

I would 100% re-test - a vet doesn't raise these things lightly and Brucella can pass from animals to human and it's (as my daughter would say) grim.

Tbh I wonder if they suspect something. It's not something I would have asked about unless I had a concern. Three months is a long time between a test and arrival in the UK.

It's never been mentioned to me before, so I guess they are just being cautious as I think they've had some positive cases. I've just had a text to say they are happy that he has been tested and no need to re-test him

They make you wait 3 months from arrival for some reason, that's great news about not needing a test 😁

He came over in 2019 and didn't come to us til 2020 so I'm not sure if he was re-tested in the UK after he arrived to be honest. I'm very relieved!

They didn't suspect anything that I'm aware of. They have had some positive cases in their practice, and they are a large chain of Vets so I suspect they have a policy on this somewhere along the line. I was fully prepared to have a re-test, but if the vet is satisfied with not doing I am happy with that.

A lot of it is either scare mongering or about the money. The RCVS referring to foreign dogs as “Trojan dogs” didn’t help anyone. The risk of transmission of brucellosis is extremely small, particularly if your dog is spayed/neutered. Yes if your dog requires surgery then the vet will have to take sterile precautions but my argument is always, don’t they do that anyway?
Brucellosis has been around forever, we already have it in this country. I’ve been adopting from abroad for over 10 years and only in the last 2 has it even been mentioned. The majority of dogs are now tested before travel, but a lot of vets in the Uk will insist on doing a further test here (can’t imagine why 🤦‍♀️)
A LOT of vets refuse to treat dogs who do test positive and recommend euthanasia. This is NOT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT nor can they force you to do this.
If you are concerned have a look at Brucella Canis RVN Facebook group. Loads of information and support there.

Thanks @Onetimeonly2024 I've joined the group and had a look on there. Euthanasia was mentioned to me - I was in a bit of shock to be honest as we've had him four years!

A LOT of vets refuse to treat dogs who do test positive and recommend euthanasia.

Because it can pass between dogs to humans, can't actually ever be cured (just managed - and it's damn expensive) and is quite painful and dangerous.

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone sigh…..and the number of veterinary staff who have contracted Brucellosis from a dog? That would be zero. Easily monitored via FOI request, since that kind of incident would have to be reported to the HSE and they have had zero reports.

The vast majority of dogs with Brucellosis are asymptomatic and live very full and happy, normal lives.
Alf White (better known as James Herriot) contracted Brucellosis from cows and he retired in 1980. We have always had brucellosis here.

Our bosnian rescue was tested pre travel but our vets still want a retest but haven't pushed it they just wear ppe for her check ups. Many others rehomed by our rescue are experiencing the same

Oh! You’re one of them. Now I understand.

@Figgygal the only reason I would recommend a test is for out of hours treatment. My own vet is sensible, recognises the risks are vanishingly small and acts accordingly. BUT she doesn’t do out of hours and if one of mine needs out of hours care for an emergency? I would lose my shit if they refused to treat because they were “foreign” which can and does happen. So, all mine are tested in the uk and I keep a copy of the results on my phone.

This is unclear and rather obtuse. I am one of what? Someone who follows actual science? I don’t understand your comment.

Nope. Alf white had Brucella abortus (from cattle). We stopped testing cows for this around the mid noughties as it was considered eradicated from the U.K. In the old days many vets suffered and even died from exposure to Brucella while calving cows.

Brucella canis (the dog form) is now coming in from abroad. It is a notifiable disease which poses a risk to individual veterinary staff, pet owners, and potentially the wider dog population of the U.K.

If it became an endemic reproductive disease amongst the canine population, people would be asking why weren’t vets more vigilant about it coming in to the country. Litters of puppies dying and owners/breeders potentially getting ill or suffering pregnancy complications. It is really important that people who choose to adopt rescue dogs from abroad are prepared to play their part in testing for it and not complain that vets ask them to test.

@Onthefenceaboutmarmite ok. And I agree, in fact I said, he caught it from cows. But no veterinary staff in the uk have ever caught brucellosis from a dog. That is a fact.