Brucella canis RT-PCR

Canine brucellosis is an infection of dogs caused by the bacterium Brucella canis. In female dogs it can cause abortion late in pregnancy, failure to conceive, and stillborn or weak puppies. In male dogs it can cause swollen testicles and poor fertility. Many infected dogs look healthy, yet they can carry the germ for a long time and spread it through mating, birth fluids, vaginal discharge, semen and urine.

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a test that finds and copies tiny pieces of a germ's DNA. Your vet may send whole blood in an EDTA tube (a tube that stops blood clotting), a vaginal swab or semen, and sometimes more than one sample, because the germ may be in the blood only on and off. Dog brucellosis is not picked up by the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) used for cows and buffaloes, so dogs need a test made for Brucella canis. Your vet may also use a canine brucellosis antibody test, which checks whether the dog's body has reacted to the germ.

Many vets advise testing dogs before breeding and when a new dog joins a breeding kennel. A registered veterinarian reads the result together with your dog's breeding history, signs and other tests. Brucella canis can pass from dogs to people, so wear gloves when handling birth fluids, aborted puppies or discharge, wash your hands well and speak to a doctor if you feel unwell. In Bhopal, call or WhatsApp the lab to arrange the sample, and from other districts your vet can send it by courier or bus parcel.