Bluetongue: The virus Could Also Pose a Threat to Dogs

Long considered a disease affecting only ruminants, bluetongue (BT) may well be expanding its scope. This is suggested by a scientific journal article published in *Veterinary Sciences*, which reports documented cases in carnivores, particularly dogs. This paradigm shift calls for a reevaluation of surveillance tools and veterinary practices.  

A virus no longer confined to sheep

Bluetongue is caused by an RNA virus of the genus Orbivirus, transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. Until now, the bluetongue virus has been studied primarily in sheep and cattle, in which it causes fever, edema, respiratory distress, and oral lesions. But several recent observations are challenging this species barrier. According to data compiled by researchers, cases of infection have been reported in dogs, both in Europe and North Africa, in various contexts: exposure to vectors, ingestion of contaminated meat, or contact with infected ruminants. In several cases, the dogs exhibited severe clinical signs (neurological damage, internal bleeding), and some died as a result.  

Silent infection or an underestimated risk?

It is currently difficult to estimate the extent of the problem. This is because, in carnivores, the clinical picture is not always typical. Signs are often subtle or even absent, making the virus difficult to detect without targeted testing. Furthermore, veterinarians do not immediately suspect bluetongue when examining a dog with a fever or loss of appetite. As a result, the disease is likely underdiagnosed and therefore not being monitored.  

How do dogs become infected?

Two routes of transmission are suggested. The most common remains the bite of insect vectors, which are active mainly in rural areas or during the warm season. However, the study also highlights another plausible route of infection that has not yet been extensively explored in the literature: orally. Dogs that ingested offal or carcasses from infected animals—particularly in farming or hunting contexts—subsequently developed an acute form of the disease. This food-borne route of transmission raises serious questions, particularly in areas where the management of slaughter waste or wildlife carcasses is inadequate.  

Dogs: Accidental Hosts or Epidemiological Link?

One of the most sensitive issues raised by the authors is the possible role of carnivores in the epidemiological dynamics of the bluetongue virus. Can they serve as a secondary reservoir for the virus? Can they facilitate its persistence outside of traditional ruminant species? At this stage, the evidence is insufficient, but warning signs are mounting. The researchers urge that dogs no longer be viewed solely as accidental hosts, but rather as potential sentinels—and, in certain contexts, even as silent contributors to viral circulation.  

A Call for Veterinary Vigilance

The article emphasizes the urgent need to better integrate these species into bluetongue surveillance systems. This requires adapting diagnostic tools for dogs, informing field veterinarians, and conducting seroprevalence studies among domestic and wild carnivores. For by excluding dogs from the epidemiological radar, we risk overlooking a more complex and widespread reality.   This study raises a broader issue than just the case of the bluetongue virus: our tendency to compartmentalize animal diseases into rigid silos—ruminants here, carnivores there. In a world where ecosystems are increasingly interconnected and animals share the same environments, viruses circulate without regard for our biological or administrative classifications. Cases of avian influenza in mammals are another example underscoring the urgency of a much more comprehensive approach to epidemiological risk.