Transmission routes of brucellosis

Brucella has strong resistance and can survive in soil, water and milk for a long time. It mainly exists in the reproductive organs of pregnant female animals and is excreted with the fetus, fetal fluid, vaginal secretions and milk after delivery or abortion. There are also a large number of pathogenic bacteria in the semen of sick male animals, which can be transmitted through breeding.

Therefore, sick animals are the main source of infection of this disease. Brucella is highly contagious and can invade the body not only through damaged skin and mucous membranes, but also through normal skin and mucous membranes. There are also many routes of infection. In addition to skin and mucous membrane infections, it can also be infected through the digestive tract, reproductive tract, and respiratory tract, so it brings greater difficulties to epidemic prevention. In addition to dogs, cattle, sheep, pigs and humans can all be infected with brucellosis. In particular, brucellosis in cattle and sheep is often the main source of infection in dogs and other animals.

Weaknesses of Brucella

Heating at 100℃ for a few minutes can kill it. The resistance to disinfectants is also weak. 2% Lysol, 2% formalin, 5% lime emulsion, etc. can kill the bacteria within a few minutes.

Clinical symptoms of brucellosis

Pregnant female dogs may usually have miscarriage without any warning in the later stage, or may have miscarriage and generalized lymphadenopathy in the early stage. .

Bitches discharge secretions from the vagina for a long time after miscarriage. Most of the aborted fetuses are stillborn, but some are still alive, but they often die within hours or days. Pneumonia, endocarditis and hepatitis can be seen in infected fetuses.

Male dogs are often complicated by epididymitis, orchitis, testicular atrophy, prostatitis and scrotal dermatitis. Dogs suffering from epididymitis often become restless and lick the scrotal skin, leading to severe ulcers. However, most sick dogs lack obvious clinical symptoms, especially young dogs and non-pregnant dogs.

Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose based solely on clinical symptoms and must rely on isolation of pathogenic bacteria and serological testing. Aborted fetuses, blood, urine, vaginal secretions, semen and breast milk can be submitted for examination.

BrucellosisPopular characteristics

The occurrence of brucellosis in dogs is usually related to contact with sick cattle, sick sheep, and sick dogs. The spread of the disease is closely related to mating, eating bacteria-contaminated food or contact with aborted fetuses, placenta and vaginal secretions, so it mostly occurs in shepherd dogs.

BrucellosisPrevention and treatment measures

1. Strengthen the quarantine of dogs, especially in epidemic areas, blood should be collected twice a year Do a serum agglutination test.
2. For dogs with miscarriage, the aborted fetus, placenta, serum and other medical materials should be sent for examination, and bacterial isolation and culture and serum agglutination test should be carried out to find out the cause of the miscarriage.
3. Cured dogs can no longer be kept for breeding purposes. In order to prevent infection of humans and other dogs, sick dogs should be eliminated.
4. Kennels, stadiums, and feeding and management equipment contaminated by sick dogs, 10% milk of lime, 2% to 5% bleach solution or hot alkaline water should be used for complete disinfection. Properly disinfect or bury the aborted fetus, afterbirth, amniotic fluid, etc.
5. While doing a good job in the prevention and treatment of canine brucellosis (breeders and owners), quarantine and epidemic prevention of brucellosis are carried out.