GUIDANCE ON RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP IN AN AREA OF ENDEMIC CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to provide guidance to householders in the responsible care of their pets, in a region where canine visceral leishmaniasis is endemic. Questionnaires on responsible ownership and the control of this disease were completed by owners of dogs and cats in the city of Araçatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil, in order to evaluate their level of knowledge. Based on the identified deficiencies, the project team provided the owners of the pets with individual guidance at home, focusing on the most critical issues. Concerning nutrition, 70.45% (62/88) of owners provided pet food only, 27.28% (24/88) administered a mixed diet, and 2.27% (2/88) provided homemade food. Additionally, 78.41% (69/88) did not permit the consumption of raw meat, rare meat, or bones. 9.09% (8/88) of owners allowed their pets to wander the neighborhood alone. Among dogs, 14.77% (13/88) had never been clinically tested by a qualified professional, and 6.82% (6/88) and 15.91% (14/88) had never received any kind of vaccine or vermifuge, respectively. In relation to population control, only 20.45% (18/88) of the dogs had been sterilized. It was also observed that 25% (22/88) of owners had already had canine visceral leishmaniasis seropositive dogs in their homes. 54.55% (12/22) of these owners had referred their pets to veterinary clinics for euthanasia, 22.73% (5/22) had used the services of the city’s animal disease control center, and 18.18% (4/22) had paid for private treatment. Nevertheless, 35.23% (31/88) of the dogs had never been submitted to tests for infection diagnosis. From the results obtained, it could be inferred that the individuals who participated in this study were poorly informed concerning basic pet care, demonstrating a need to implement community awareness campaigns for the responsible ownership of pets