¹Wonchi Woreda Veterinary Clinic, South West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

²Animal Health Institute (AHI), Sebeta, Ethiopia

*Corresponding author: Ebisa Mezgebu, Animal Health Institute (AHI), Sebeta, Ethiopia, Tel: +251932320809, E-mail: [email protected].

Received Date: November 16, 2023

Published Date: December 07, 2023

Citation: Alemu F, et al. (2023). Association of Dog Husbandry Practices with Risk of Zoonotic Diseases in and Around Ambo Town, Central Ethiopia. Mathews J Vet Sci. 7(5):30.

Copyrights: Alemu F, et al. © (2023).

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted from November 2014 to March 2015 in and around Ambo town, central Ethiopia with the aim of assessing dog husbandry practices that favor the spread of zoonotic disease and to evaluate the characteristics of the dog population and its husbandry practices. A random house-to-house self-administered interview was conducted with a pre-tested structured questionnaire to obtain information on the dogs' age, sex, housing status, vaccination status, purpose of keeping, way of feeding, and to assess dog-keeping zoonotic disease-related awareness of dog owners. For this purpose, 200 dog-owning households in and around Ambo town were interviewed. In this study, 179 (89.50%) of the dogs were local breed types dominated by male, 158 (79%) dogs. Out of the 200 households surveyed, 170 (85%) kept dogs strictly for security reasons. The majority of the dogs 124 (62%), were free-roaming and 6 (3%) live outdoor only. About 142 (71%) dogs were provided with home-cooked human food. Most of the households 109 (54.50%), clean dog houses daily. The most common means of dog feces disposal was into the hole, 91 (45.50%). But a significant number of the households threw dog feces into a toilet 3 (1.50%). In this study, many households 132 (66%) reported never practiced deworming. The limited number of owners, 23 (12%) of the owners disposed their dead dogs to the disposal area. In the present study, the majority of the households 139 (69.5%) vaccinated their dogs. The current dog husbandry practices in and around Ambo town are likely to favor the spread of dog-related zoonotic diseases. Thus, awareness should be created including educational intervention involving veterinarians and public health professionals as well as routine veterinary care are necessary to reduce the risk of exposure to zoonotic disease from dogs.

Keywords: Ambo, Dogs, Factors, Management, Relation, Zoonosis.