Have you noticed that some Stud Services (aside from proof of current shots and deworming) are requiring the approved female to test negative for “Brucellosis”? Me too! The definition of Brucellosis:
Brucellosis is a serious canine disease caused by bacteria known as Brucella Canis. This disease is predominantly spread by discharges from the uterus of infected bitches during mating. An infected bitch can infect a stud and vice-versa. Infected urine can also cause the spread of this disease. Diagnosis is usually performed by blood testing, and requires more than one sample. Brucellosis is very difficult to treat successfully and the dog has to be administered a combination of some powerful antibiotics.
Basically, Brucellosis is a disease that causes a pregnant bitch to self-abort its puppies. It can also cause the inability to conceive. A female should not be bred if she has Brucellosis. Brucellosis can be devastating to kennel breeders. It can be easily spread and, if your dog contracts the disease, there is no effective cure!!
Symptoms of Brucellosis:
In males: Swollen testicles eventually leading to sterility.
In females: Puppies born to an infected bitch with Brucellosis will be stillborn or die shortly after birth. Important Note: Many dogs do not show any physical symptoms. This fact makes testing even more urgent.
Humans And Brucellosis:
It is very important to know that Brucellosis can easily be spread from dogs to humans. Humans can contract Brucellosis during contact with dead fetuses or the discharge from aborting dogs infected with the disease. Transmission has also occurred from contact with secretions from male dogs.
What To Do About Infected Dogs?
If your bully has Brucellosis, it should be spayed/neutered and removed from your breeding program. Remember that doing so does not change the fact that humans can still contract the disease from the dog. After your dogs have been cleared in the initial test, regular maintenance testing must be done to insure that your dogs remain disease free.
If you are the owner of a stud dog that is Brucellosis free, make sure that all prospective females to be bred have been tested and cleared within thirty (30) days before the breeding.
Breed the BEST – Not the REST!!
Let’s Keep Our Bullies Healthy Breeders!!
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Of course, the male stud owner can opt for artificial insemination to avoid contracting the disease from an infected bitch.