Brucellosis outbreak in Michigan - Page 1

 I saw this on our local news this morning.  These counties all surround our county of Mecosta.

The disease can cause the death of puppies.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 2:41 p.m.

 

(AP) -- The Michigan Department of Agriculture says several dogs in Michigan tested positive for canine brucellosis. The department on Wednesday said it was putting Michigan veterinarians on heightened alert for the disease. It says it was found in three dog breeding facilities in Missaukee, Osceola, and Wexford counties. The department says two dogs from Indiana that tested positive also were found in Van Buren County. The disease can cause the death of puppies.

(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

 

 

Testing is not required  except for breeding right?  So how do you go about being safe while out training with your club?  I read an article stating it can be passed several different ways and is highly contagious. How can I be safe and careful about this?  I have training starting on two dogs at a club on Sat. Yikes....

http://www.beaglesunlimited.com/beaglehealth_caninebrucellosis.htm

If I were a club right now, I would think about asking everyone to test just for peace of mind.  The test isn't that expensive.  From what they are saying right now, it sounds like the puppymillers are passing it around by trading dogs back and forth.  The counties listed in MI are notorious for millers.

I am going to be down at Sun Dog in Romeo.  I will let Jerry know and I will test mine before I go.  I held back a male out of my litter and he is going and my Una is working toward protection.  I am really excitied!

It can be tested for and treated easy enough.   Other animals also carry the disease.

You need health certificate's to transport certain livestock across state line's.

 BRUCELLOSIS, CANINE - USA: (MICHIGAN)

*************************************

A ProMED-mail post

Date: Thu 7 Aug 2008

Source: Michigan Department of Agriculture (official release) [edited]

<http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-48096-198184--,00.html>

The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) received confirmation of

canine brucellosis (CB) in 5 Michigan breeding kennels that sold

small, mixed breed, and pure bred dogs in Michigan. The Missaukee,

Osceola, Wexford, and Van Buren county kennels have been quarantined

and MDA is in the process of notifying purchasers.

Canine brucellosis is a contagious bacterial disease that causes

abortions, death of puppies shortly after birth, and chronic health

problems in older dogs. Canine brucellosis is a reportable disease

and an emerging concern in dog breeding facilities and "puppy mills"

in Michigan. There is no vaccine for the disease and no long-term

cure. Antibiotics will control the infection and spaying dogs will

minimize the risk of transmission to almost zero.

CB is considered a zoonotic disease, even though the risk of actual

human infection from a pet is very low. Although people can get CB

from infected pets, transmission is very rare. It is mostly

transmitted through handling birthing tissues from an infected dog,

although it can be transmitted in water and food dishes, in urine,

and in feces. Even though most dog infections generally do not result

in human illness, people with weakened immune systems are more

susceptible and should not handle dogs known to be infected with

canine brucellosis. There is also a higher risk

 Continued from above:

There is also a higher risk to people working in

infected kennels.

MDA has limited information that CB might be present in other canine

populations. An individual in Macomb County adopted a rescued dog

from an animal shelter. The recently spayed female dog had signs of

illness and the owner brought it to her veterinarian. The dog was

tested and found positive for CB. The veterinarian treated the dog

with a course of antibiotics. The dog is home and is not considered

infectious.

To limit the potential spread of infection, the state veterinarian

strongly recommends pet shops purchasing puppies for resale require

the kennel of origin to provide evidence that all animals are tested

negative for brucellosis. This includes puppies from kennels in other

states.

The state veterinarian also recommends sexually intact dogs from

unknown backgrounds, adopted or rescued from animal shelters, be

screened for canine brucellosis. Note that state law requires adopted

dogs and cats to be spayed and neutered by the new owners, so we have

a public health safeguard.

MDA actions to contain canine brucellosis:

1. The breeding kennels have been quarantined and depopulated at the

owner's expense, or are on a test-and-remove program. With

test-and-remove, the kennel remains quarantined, with no sales

allowed, until there is no infection.

2. When possible, people who purchased or traded dogs from these

kennels have been contacted. We are contacting families in the

vicinities of infected breeding kennels as some neighbors' dogs were

allowed to breed at the kennels. Unfortunately, some of the kennel

operators do

 Continued from above:

Unfortunately, some of the kennel

operators do not have complete records, so the following additional

steps will be taken.

3. We are asking veterinarians statewide to be on heightened alert

for CB in small, mixed breed, and pure bred small dogs from shelters.

The Michigan Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) is assisting MDA

by contacting practicing veterinarians. Veterinarians and their staff

exposed to the blood, or placentas, of infected dogs are at risk.

[There appears to be some evidence that the origin of the canine

brucellosis in Michigan may have been imported from a kennel in the

neighboring state of Indiana. Indiana authorities are reportedly

following up on this, but as of this positing the Indiana Board of

Animal Health has not updated their website regarding this disease.

---------------

From Hodie:

For all dog enthusiasts, note that this can be transmitted through water and feeding bowls. Therefore, it is also reasonable to assume that it could be transmitted to other dogs through saliva on bite sleeves, tugs etc. It would certainly be prudent to consider where one trains their dog and with whom to avoid your dog contracting, especially if of breed quality.

Like Michigan doesn't have enough problems.  Thanks for that article hodie. 

It looks like Karma is biting the puppymills in the butt right now.  Unfortunately innocent folks will be bitten too.

From the Iowa University Center for Food Security and Public Health 2007

(via IVIS: http://www.ivis.org/advances/Disease_Factsheets/brucellosis_canis.pdf )

B. canis occurs in the fetus, placenta, fetal fluids and vaginal discharge after an abortion or stillbirth. This organism can be found in vaginal discharges for 4 to 6 weeks after an abortion. It is also shed in normal vaginal secretions, particularly during estrus, as well as in milk.

High concentrations of B. canis are found in semen for up to two months after infection, and intermittent shedding of smaller quantities can occur for years.

B. canis is also found in urine, and low concentrations of bacteria may be excreted in saliva, nasal and ocular secretions, and feces.

In dogs, B. canis is mainly transmitted by contact with the fetus and fetal membranes after abortions/stillbirths, or by venereal transmission. This organism primarily enters the body by ingestion and through the genital, oronasal and conjunctival mucosa, but transmission through broken skin may also be possible.

In utero infections occur. Nursing puppies can be infected from milk, but the importance of this route is controversial. Other potential sources of infection include blood transfusions and contaminated syringes. Dogs often become chronically infected with B. canis and can shed this organism for prolonged periods. Although some dogs clear the infection after a year, others remain bacteremic for five years and possibly longer. B. canis can also be spread on fomites. In conditions of high humidity, low temperatures, and no sunlight, Brucella spp. can remain viable for several months in water, aborted fetuses, feces, equipment and clothing. Brucella species can withstand drying, particularly when organic material is present, and can survive in dust and soil. Survival is longer when the temperature is low, particularly when it is below freezing.