Dog importation into Canada has increased substantially since the early 2010s. This trend has raised concern among public health and veterinary authorities about the potential introduction and spread of infectious agents, including those that are zoonotic. To address these concerns, the authors conducted a qualitative risk assessment focused on infectious hazards associated with canine importation into Canada for 2023–2024.
The assessment adapted international risk assessment methodologies and incorporated expert consultation. The authors applied qualitative estimates to describe several risk dimensions for each hazard. For all hazards (n = 53), they estimated:
For the subset of zoonotic hazards (n = 33), they additionally estimated:
The abstract reports the overall approach and scope but does not provide hazard-specific scoring details in that summary. Full-text access via the CDC-NCEZID link is available for readers seeking the complete dataset and individual hazard rankings.
The assessment covered a total of 53 infectious hazards relevant to imported dogs. Of those, 33 were identified as zoonotic hazards for which human exposure and human impact measures were also estimated. The abstract does not list every pathogen evaluated or provide the individual hazard rankings; those specifics were not reported in the abstract and require consulting the full text.
Across evaluated hazards, the authors found that estimates of likelihood of entry into Canada and likelihood of canine exposure were commonly ranked at moderate or high levels. This pattern suggests a non-negligible probability that imported dogs could carry or introduce infectious agents and that such agents could come into contact with susceptible dogs in Canada. The use of qualitative categories (for example, moderate and high) provided a broad characterization of entry and exposure probability rather than precise quantitative risk metrics.
In contrast to the higher likelihood estimates for entry and exposure, the assessed magnitude of impact following exposure was generally rated at much lower levels. This applied to impact estimates for individual canines and for the broader canine population, and for human outcomes where zoonotic hazards were considered. In other words, while introduction and exposure probabilities were commonly moderate or high, expected health impacts after exposure were judged to be more restricted.
Based on the assessment findings, the authors indicate the results can serve as a foundational evidence base for targeted risk mitigation efforts. Potential measures highlighted in the abstract include:
These suggested mitigation approaches align with the study's identification of higher likelihoods of entry and exposure but lower magnitudes of impact, supporting interventions aimed at preventing introduction and early detection rather than only response to large-scale outbreaks.
The abstract summarizes methods and key conclusions but does not provide full hazard-specific data or detailed scoring matrices. The specific pathogens evaluated and their individual qualitative rankings are not listed in the abstract; those details were not reported in the source abstract and require consultation of the full article. The CDC-NCEZID full-text link is provided on the PubMed record for readers seeking comprehensive results and methodological appendices.
This qualitative risk assessment of infectious agents associated with canine importation into Canada (2023–2024) used adapted international methodologies and expert input to evaluate 53 hazards, including 33 zoonotic agents. The study found that many hazards were rated moderate or high for the likelihood of entry and canine exposure, while magnitude-of-impact estimates were generally lower. The authors propose that these findings support targeted mitigation measures such as caregiver education, veterinary screening, and importation policy considerations to address the risks associated with increasing dog importation.
Note: The abstract contains the summarized study scope, methods, and principal conclusions. Detailed hazard lists, individual qualitative scores, and full methodological appendices were not reported in the abstract and are available in the full text via the provided CDC-NCEZID link.