Dogs suffering Brucella canis (B canis) may soon benefit from a timely detection of the zoonotic disease, following the new test developed by researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
The diagnostic test, currently only offered by the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC), measures antibodies in dogs directed against B canis antigens—the canine Brucella multiplex (CBM) assay. This quantitative test may provide a means of monitoring response to antibiotic treatment in infected dogs, CVM reports.
“We believe that this test is more sensitive and less prone to false-positive results,” says Toby Pinn-Woodcock, DVM, DACVIM, assistant clinical professor in Veterinary Support Services at CVM.
B canis, which affects up to six percent of dogs in the U.S., can present in a variety of symptoms, from spontaneous abortion to spinal pain, and therefore is difficult to detect. The average time to identify the disease in a dog is about six months, according to a 2023 study. This lengthy diagnosis has raised concerns among veterinarians and state health officials as the zoonotic disease can spread to humans, causing flu-like symptoms, organ-based complications involving the skeletal system, and possible problems with pregnancy.
The disease is more prevalent among rescued stray dogs, or those raised at large breeding operations. Owners of infected dogs, as well as those who work at commercial breeding operations, are more at risk of contracting the infection.
Dogs diagnosed with B canis are treated with a combination of antibiotics, often long-term. If treatment is effective, the levels of antibodies directed against the organism are expected to decrease. However, it is difficult to determine when a dog has been completely cleared of the infection, because the pathogen can evade immune detection.
“It can be very hard to completely eliminate from animals because the pathogen essentially lives within the cells,” says Alexandra Newman, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, the state public health veterinarian with the New York State Department of Health. “The only way we can guarantee that there will be no risk of human exposure is by euthanizing the dog.”
While veterinarians can now monitor how well dogs respond to treatment for B canis with the CBM assay, the Cornell research team is seeking funding to conduct a future study that would show whether dogs that have a prolonged drop in antibody levels are cured of the disease.
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