Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Brucella suis infection signs and treatment in three dogs
By Kneipp, C C et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2023·Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Brucella suis in three dogs: presentation, diagnosis and clinical management.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs in Australia were diagnosed with Brucella suis, a bacteria that can affect both dogs and humans, especially those involved in hunting feral pigs. One dog had complications during pregnancy, another suffered from joint pain and possible bone infection, and the third had swollen lymph nodes. All three dogs responded well to a combination of antibiotics, rifampicin and doxycycline, tailored to their specific needs. The cases highlighted the importance of careful management and monitoring, especially for dogs at risk of this infection.
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Abstract
Brucella suis is an emerging, zoonotic disease predominantly affecting dogs and humans that engage in feral pig hunting in Australia and other countries. Although B. suis infection in dogs shares some clinical similarities to the host-adapted species (B. canis), B. suis remains an incompletely understood pathogen in dogs with limited published data on its pathogenesis and clinical features. This case series describes the presentations, diagnosis, and clinical management of B. suis infection in three dogs: (1) a bitch with dystocia, abortion and mastitis; (2) an entire male dog with septic arthritis and presumptive osteomyelitis; and (3) a castrated male dog with lymphadenitis. Unique features of these cases are reported including the first documented detection of B. suis from milk and isolation from lymph nodes of canine patients, as well as the follow-up of pups born to a B. suis-infected bitch. Consistent with previous reports, all three dogs showed a favourable clinical response to combination antibiotic therapy with rifampicin and doxycycline. Individually tailored drug regimens were required based on the clinical presentation and other factors, including owner expectations and compliance with therapy as well as a zoonotic risk assessment (generally considered low, except around time of whelping). The authors include their recommendations for the clinical management of dogs that are at-risk or seropositive for B. suis with or without clinical signs or laboratory-confirmed infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36655500/