Brucellosis in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Brucellosis is an infectious disease in dogs caused by a bacterium called Brucella canis.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Brucellosis mainly affects the reproductive organs in dogs, causing infertility and pregnancy loss, but it can also affect the joints and spine, causing lameness and back pain.^[1] There is no treatment that guarantees a cure for brucellosis in dogs, whether or not they have signs.^[1]

Signs

Pregnancy loss
Stillbirth
Infertility in male and female dogs
Weak puppies that die soon after birth
Swollen testicles in male dogs
Irritated skin around the testicles in male dogs
Lameness and back pain
Swollen lymph nodes
Low energy

Causes and risk factors

Mating with an infected dog
Licking, eating or sniffing infected birthing fluids
Sniffing or licking the genitals of an infected dog, especially a female dog in season
Catching it in the womb
Catching it through contaminated milk from an infected mother
Contact with infected urine or blood
Contact with saliva, poo or snot
An infected environment

How a vet finds out

Blood tests

How vets treat it

Surgery
Antibiotics
Fluids or a drip

What the experts say

“Unfortunately, there is no treatment that guarantees a cure for brucellosis in dogs, whether they have symptoms or not. If your dog tests positive for Brucella canis, your vet will discuss the different options available for your dog.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

How do vets check for brucellosis?

Your vet may advise blood tests to check for brucellosis and may want to run more than one blood test.^[1]

Can brucellosis be cured?

There is no treatment that guarantees a cure for brucellosis in dogs. If your dog tests positive, your vet will discuss the options available for your dog.^[1]

How can a dog catch brucellosis?

Dogs can catch it through mating with an infected dog, contact with infected birthing fluids, or sniffing or licking the genitals of an infected dog.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages