In my investigation I acquired a few case reports from veterinary journals, and an article from a veterinary journal about a study done years ago. The article appeared in the 1930 issue of the Journal Of The Amercian Veterinary Medical Assoc. The study cited identified cases of TB in dogs, various workers reporting a total of 72 cases of TB, all of which were identified as either human, bovine, or transitional. The study experimentally exposes numbers of dogs to mycobacterium avium via various inoculation methods, including ingestion, intraperitoneal injection, intrabronchial injection, intravenous injection, and intracerebral injection. It is an opportunistic saprophyte.
Poultry are primarily susceptible following contact with infected food or water.
Feces of infected birds contain large numbers of the bacilli. Infection of dogs and cats occurs from ingestion of infected meat, contact with infected soil or with fomites contaminated by carcasses or feces. This disease has been studied in 5 Basset Hounds, at Angell Memorial, and a common ancestor was identified. Age of onset for known cases seems to be anywhere from 10 months to 3 years. All 3 had lived in separate homes from puppyhood.