Iowa confirms of "multiple cases" dog disease Canine brucellosis can be transmitted to humans

State veterinarian Jeff Kaisand issued a statement Friday confirming the multiple cases of the disease in dogs in central Iowa.

Even though it is rarely reported in humans, canine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can infect people through blood, urine, milk or alcohol. other contaminated reproductive fluids.

According to the Iowa Department of Health, a human being with the disease may exhibit flu-like symptoms: fever, sweating, joint pain, weakness, and headaches. Young children and people with weakened immune systems are particularly prone to complications, and Iowa State University has indicated that the disease can lead to miscarriage or premature delivery in women.

"That's why, if we have a positive dog, he must be shot," said Amy Heinz, founder and executive director of AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transportation, based in Iowa, in an interview. A woman "could find solace in her furry friend, and it could be her furry boyfriend who caused her miscarriage."

Ms. Heinz said her organization, based in De Soto, Iowa, was quarantined after buying 32 dogs from the breeding center cited at an auction held this month. Quarantine will have a disastrous effect on stray dogs in the area, she said, because no dogs will be allowed to enter or leave the shelter for its entire duration.

"Stray dogs in rural Iowa are at the top of a creek right now," said Heinz.

Health officials say the disease is most often reported in livestock facilities, where staff are trained to recognize it and test it. This means that veterinarians, dog breeders and dog breeders are the people most likely to be exposed to canine brucellosis, but Ms. Heinz said her staff was aware of the associated risks.

[[[[A dog food company has recalled its products, but these grieving owners say it's too late]

Canine brucellosis is chronic and apparently has no cure, said Washington Post Edward Dubovi, a professor of virology at Cornell University's University of Veterinary Medicine. Infected dogs may look healthy – especially if they have been treated recently with antibiotics – which can skew the results and cause sick dogs to give a negative result to the disease.

"Part of the problem is that it's hard to deal with," Dubovi said Monday. "Some of the tests become negative when treated, so you feel like you're taking a good dog, but it's chronically infected."

While the 32 dogs in Heinz's care initially had a negative result and had no symptoms, she suspects the breeder had already given antibiotics before the auction. She said that another buyer reported that many of their dogs purchased at the breeding facility had been tested positive for canine brucellosis.

She added that the dogs would remain quarantined until they can be tested again, making sure they are not affected. The website of the breeder, based in Marion County and identified by Heinz, appears to have been removed. His Facebook page on Monday said that he was "closed for business".

Dubovi said the disease is "very worrisome" and may cause commercial breeders to lose several litters of pups if they are not detected. The Iowa Department of Health also warns of breeding dogs before testing for the disease.

It was not known right away how many dogs had been infected in Iowa. Heinz posted the quarantine updates on the shelter's Facebook page. On Monday, she went from cage to cage to describe the dogs they had just acquired, many of which were "in very bad shape".

"We still have a lot of work ahead of us," Heinz said in the video. "But they're going to have a good life because I'm sure our next tests will also be negative."

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