Canine Brucellosis – Brucella canis Fact Sheet

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by several species in the genus Brucella. Brucella canis is an important cause of reproductive failure in dogs, especially in kennels. Infections can result in abortions and stillbirths in bitches, and epididymitis, prostatitis, orchitis and sperm abnormalities in males. Although spayed or neutered dogs do not have reproductive signs, they occasionally develop other conditions such as ocular disease and discospondylitis. B. canis may persist in an animal even after antibiotic treatment. In kennels, infected dogs are often euthanized to prevent them from infecting other dogs or people. Canine brucellosis is sometimes difficult to diagnose with the currently available tests. The importance of B. canis as a cause of human illness is still unclear. Few clinical cases have been reported in people, and most have been mild. However, human infections with this organism may be underdiagnosed, as the symptoms are nonspecific, diagnostic suspicion among physicians is low, and obtaining a definitive diagnosis may be difficult.