Canine Brucellosis Statement

The Department of Agriculture acknowledges that there are a lot of emotions and complexities surrounding this Canine Brucellosis case. The size, scope and wide dispersal of the exposed dogs is unlike any case we’ve seen before. There is also a lot of misinformation that we’d like to address.

Canine Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted to humans. Our first priority is protecting the health of the people of Iowa. We also have a responsibility to protect other dogs from being exposed to Canine Brucellosis.

Canine Brucellosis has a complicated testing process, it is difficult to diagnose and it can have a long incubation period. A dog can be Canine Brucellosis-positive for years before it exhibits clinical signs. It can still spread the bacteria to both dogs and humans during this time.

The Department has quarantine protocols that apply to all facilities or households in the state of Iowa. The 56 facilities in Iowa that took possession of one of the 185 dogs that originated from Double G Kennels were quarantined for at least 60 days following the auction on May 4; this included Double G Kennels, commercial breeders, rescues and foster homes.

Testing for Canine Brucellosis requires a series of blood samples over a period of time to determine if a dog is truly positive or negative. The individuals in possession of exposed dogs are responsible for working with their own veterinarians to collect the samples and have the bloodwork sent to the Iowa State University Diagnostic Lab for testing.

The Department will not release a dog from quarantine until we’re confident it tests negative for Canine Brucellosis.

The dogs from the auction on May 4 that had two negative screening and confirmatory test results at least 60 days from their last potential exposure, have been released from quarantine.

To date, there are still 15 facilities under quarantine because:

• The Department of Agriculture is waiting on the owner to provide the 60-day test results.
• Dogs are still within 60-days of the last potential exposure.
• Or owners are refusing to test their animals.

We understand the frustration with the prolonged quarantine period but we must follow established protocols to protect the health of all Iowans. We ask you to please be patient while we work to prevent the potential spread of this disease.