Original Research
A descriptive study of the canine population in a rural town in southern Africa
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 62, No 4 | a1778 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v62i4.1778
| © 2020 G. H. Rautenbach, J. Boomker, I. L. De Villiers
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 27 November 2018 | Published: 31 December 1991
Submitted: 27 November 2018 | Published: 31 December 1991
About the author(s)
G. H. Rautenbach, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, South AfricaJ. Boomker, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, South Africa
I. L. de Villiers, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, South Africa
Full Text:
PDF (442KB)Abstract
The health status of a population of dogs (n=220) from a rural southern African town is described. A cross sectional survey was done to collect the necessary information. All animals examined were mongrels with a mean condition score of 1,93. The oldest dog found in the population was 8 years old. Rhipicephalus sanguineus was the dominant tick species encountered on the dogs, Echidnophaga gallinacea the dominant flea species, while Cordylobia anthropophaga and Demodex canis also affected the health status of the population. Fourty five per cent of the population were found to have nematode eggs in the faeces. On clinical examination, 5% of the population were judged to be acutely ill and 27% to be chronically ill. Based on the clinical examination, bloodsmears and laboratory results, 51 % of the population had one or more serious clinical conditions at the time of examination. The conditions with the highest point prevalence rate in the community were canine ehrlichiosis (17,2%), transmissible veneral tumour (6,8%), canine distemper (5%), Cordylobia infestation (5,5%), trauma (4,1 %), and severe malnutrition (4,1 %). It was concluded that a Significant section of this population was in a chronic state of starvation and malnutrition. There was also a heavy infestation of internal and external parasites and the prevalence of serious diseases in this population was high.
Keywords
Canine; disease prevalence; black rural area
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