A STDDY OF THE DOG POPULATION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE DOGS TO VACCINATION AGAINST RABIES IN SAMARU, ZARIA, NIGERIA
A STDDY OF THE DOG POPULATION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE DOGS TO VACCINATION AGAINST RABIES IN SAMARU, ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
1995-06
Authors
IGBAKURA INNOCENT, LUGA
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Abstract
A dog population study was carried out in Samaru using the
questionnaire and direct street count methods. The characteristics
of dogs vaccinated against rabies at the Veterinary Teaching
Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University (A.B.U.), Zaria in 1991 as well
as the rabies situation in Samaru were studied.
Having estimated the population of household and street dogs
in Samaru and analysed the characteristics of dogs vaccinated or
involved in dog rabies cases, a vaccination campaign was organised
for Samaru residents as a method to estimate the accessibility of
dogs to vaccination against rabies in Samaru. The campaign
organisation and implementation involved local institutions.
Immediately after the campaign, a survey was carried out to
ascertain the accessibility of household dogs to the campaign. The
Lincoln index was then used to estimate the population of freeroaming
dogs as well as the proportion of street dogs reached by
the campaign.
The estimated number of household dogs in Samaru was 527 based
on an estimated dog-to-human ratio of 16:1 in the prevaccination
campaign survey; 68 dogs (37.4%) were vaccinated against rabies.
Of the 510 households sampled, 137 (27.1%) owned dogs. Respondents
gave various reasons for owning or not owning
dogs, the most important being for security/pet and dogs respectively.
Mongrels were the dominant breed encountered in both the
household and vaccination surveys, accounting for 215 (91.9%) and
100 (100%) respectively. There were 19(8.1%) mixed breed dogs
among household dogs. The more common sex of household dogs was
the male 121(52.2%). A similar observation was made during the
vaccination campaign with males being 76(72.4%). Female dogs were
111(47.8%) and 29(27.6%) respectively. No respondent indicated
that his/her dog had been neutered in both censusing procedures.
Only 3 respondents could not provide information about the sex of
their dogs and the dogs were not available for proper
identification in the household survey. The sex ratios were 1.1:1
or 52% males in the household survey and 2.6:1 or 72% males during
the vaccination survey. In both surveys, dogs one year and below
in age predominated being 109(47.2%) and 67(63.8%) respectively.
Dogs 1 to 3 months of age were (47.2%) in the pre-campaign survey;
dogs 4-6 months were 28(12.1%); 6-12 months were 34(14.7%); 13-24
months were 55(23.8%); 25-36 months were 31(13.4%); 37-48 months
were 14(6.1%) and above 48 up to 240 months were 22(9.5%). The
weighted mean age of dogs encountered in the household survey was
26.7 months.
Description
A Thesis submitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in partial
fulfillment for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive
Medicine
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH
AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
June, 1995
Keywords
DOG POPULATION,, ACCESSIBILITY,, VACCINATION,, AGAINST RABIES,, SAMARU, ZARIA, NIGERIA