MartinH

Disaster - with three weeks to go before the big move our dog has had her final confirmatory blood test and and has shown a positive result for Brucellosis. As she is not showing any symptoms the assumption is that she is carrying the antibodies.

With a positive test she will be unable to fly and if she doesn't go then it put the whole move in jeopardy (anyone who is a dog owner will understand).

Has anyone experienced this? Do I have any options?

Any help or advice much appreciated.

Timber Floor Au

After some extensive search and speaking with our vet I found this for you.

Hope everything goes well.

Serology

Australian Serological Import Panel
(for import to Australia)

RFFIT One test 60 days to 12 months prior to export with a result of >1 = 0.5 IU/ml
$40.00

Blood Tests
It is the owner’s responsibility to arrange for a veterinarian to scan your dog’s microchip and draw blood samples for Brucella, Ehrlichia and Leptospira within 30 days of export to Australia. Your dog’s microchip number must be recorded on the blood tube. The blood must be sent to a government-approved laboratory for testing.

Leptospira canicola
Dogs must be tested for Leptospira canicola by serum agglutination test within 30 days of export.

Dogs that record a negative result (less than 50% agglutination at a serum dilution of 1:100) are eligible for import to Australia.

Dogs that record a positive result of not more than 1:400 must be re-tested 14 or more days after the first test. The second test must not show an increase in titer above the first test.

Dogs that record a result of over 1:400 are ineligible for import.

$6.00/test

Ehrlichia canis (screen).
Dogs must be tested for Ehrlichia canis infection by the indirect fluorescent antibody test within 30 days of export.

The test must produce a negative result at a dilution of 1:40.

The dog must also be treated for external parasites within 24 hours of blood being taken for this test. Talk to your local veterinarian about external parasite treatment.

$18.00/test

Canine Brucellosis.
Dogs must be tested for canine brucellosis (Brucella canis infection) by serum agglutination test, on a sample collected with 30 days prior to export.

The test must produce a negative result.

The dog must not be bred nor in the case of the bitch, may not be artificially inseminated between the time the sample is collected and export.

$16.00/test

For additional questions, please contact Dr.Andrew Cupit at (202) 797-3319.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the regulations for exporting animals or animal products to a foreign country, you should contact the APHIS-VS Area Office in the State from which the animals or products will be exported. This information can be found on the USDA web page for International Animal Export Regulations.

ajax4779

If i was you i would phone AQIS at Canberra and and ask them for advice.
Someone there will be able to give you the answer.
Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

MartinH

Thank you both for your reply - clearly this is rather worrying especially as we will be homeless as of 31 August :scared:

ajax4779

I will be returning to Australia sometime soon with my three dogs and if it was me i would be scared.
Just make sure that you make that call to Aqis and talk to someone who can give you the answer.

MartinH

Thanks - we have already been in touch with AQIs regading the import certificate and everything was going just fine - however, the import restrictions require a blood test within 30 days of departure which has only now shown the problem. We are having another blood test and then we will see what happends and then will have to contact AQIS again to see what our options are.

loidy

what a nightmare martin, i really feel for you.our 2 dogs have their bloodtests tomorrow and i dont know what we would do if they failed...its a really difficult decision. fingers crossed for you for the repeat bloodtest hope they can sort something out, good luck x loidy

viccollie

Hi Martin,
I'm a vet, sorry to hear about your dog, I'm afraid that unless you have had a very rare false +ve result your dog will prob not be going with you. Due to the potential zoonotic risk of brucella to humans but also her potential as a carrier of a bacterial disesase that can cause huge reproductive losses for the local population of dogs, the Australian govenrment are unlikely to allow her in. They claim to be a brucella,leptospirosis and rabies free country and want to keep it that way.
Here's a link to the scary brucella websitehttp://www.ivis.org/advances/Infect_Dis_Carmichael/shin/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1
sorry again but worth a retest at a different lab to give you peace ofmind that you've tried everything
Claire