Serious disease risk for dogs from feral pig hunting, eating

Do you take your dog pig hunting?

If you answer yes to either of your questions, your dog may be at risk of contracting brucellosis.

Brucellosis is, fortunately, a rare disease in dogs, but the consequences can be serious for dogs and people they come into contact with.

Brucellosis is caused by Brucella suis, a bacteria typically found in pigs and known to be prevalent among the feral pig population in Queensland and New South Wales.

Dogs can become infected through contact with the bodily fluids (urine, blood, saliva, reproductive fluids) of an infected pig or dog.

Affected dogs can be asymptomatic.

However, symptoms can include fatigue, or malaise, back pain, difficulty jumping, limping, fever, enlarged painful testes in male dogs or abortion in female dogs.

Because of the range of signs brucellosis can cause, it can be tricky to diagnose. Contact with feral or wild pork or pigs increases the index of suspicion.

Your veterinarian may perform tests including blood and urine tests and x-rays (particularly in dogs with signs of musculoskeletal pain) and ultrasound.

There are no treatments that can guarantee a cure in dogs.

For this reason, the Department of Primary Industries recommends that infected dogs are either treated (usually with extended courses of antibiotics) and desexed (to prevent further spread through breeding) or euthanased to prevent spread.

Any in-contact dogs should be tested and considered to be infectious until they test negative.

People who have been in contact with potentially infected animals should consult their doctor as soon as possible, and be sure to mention their contact with animals.

There are several steps you can take to minimise the risk of your dog contracting brucellosis.

Avoid feeding dogs raw meat from feral or wild pigs. That includes bone, offal, blood, testicles and other reproductive organs.

Avoid breeding from any dog suspected or known to be infected with Brucella suis, including those awaiting test results. Avoid unnecessary contact with infected or at-risk dogs.

Because of their vulnerability to severe disease, pregnant women and children should avoid contact with infected dogs, dogs that have been in contact with suspected or infected dogs, and pig hunting dogs. This includes veterinary team members who may be pregnant.

If you engage in pig hunting with dogs, do not allow dogs to play with or feed on animal carcasses; ensure you wash dogs before leaving the hunting site (wearing protective gear). If a hunting dog is wounded, use protective gear such as clean gloves and face shield when gently cleaning wounds, cover these with a dressing and take the dog to a veterinarian.

If your dog is involved in pig hunting or is fed raw meat from feral or wild pigs, or has mated with a pig hunting dog, advise your vet when you make the appointment so that they can take appropriate precautions.

Infected dogs are more likely to shed bacteria around the time of whelping (giving birth to pups) and nursing pups. If possible, at-risk dogs should be tested before breeding. Care should be taken to minimise contact with birthing fluids by wearing gloves, masks, goggles and using appropriate hand hygiene.

In Australia, brucellosis is a notifiable disease. That means that if your veterinarian or your medical practitioner suspect the disease, they need to notify the relevant authorities. The cost of testing infected and in-contact dogs may be reimbursed by government agencies.