The Causes And Risk Factors Associated With Morbidity And Mortality In Adult Dogs Among Kennels Within Nairobi County And Its Environs

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted in 35 dog kennels within Nairobi County and its environs to determine the causes and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of adult dogs. The specific objectives of the study were: a) To assess the management practices in the dog kennels within Nairobi County and its environs. b) To determine the disease prevalence and mortalities in adult dogs in kennels within Nairobi County and its environs. c) To determine the association between management practices and morbidities and mortalities of adult dogs within kennels in Nairobi County and its environs. Data to assess the management practices in the dog kennels were collected through a structured questionnaire comprising open-ended questions on kennel demographics, kennel management and preventive medicine. Data to determine morbidities and mortalities of adult dogs were evaluated through the retrospective study of records for 5 years (2008-2012). Blood smears were made and feacal samples collected per rectum from 643 dogs and were tested for blood parasites and helminths respectively. All data were recorded in data collection sheets. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and simple associations between variables and outcome using chisquare at p< 0.05 significance level. The results of the study showed that majority of the kennels (82.9%) had a mixture of wood, concrete and metal houses. The other type of buildings were wooden houses (8.6%) metal/steel houses with sandy/grass floors (5.7%) and metal/steel houses with concrete floor (2.9%). Most of the kennels (54.3%) fed the dogs on commercial food only, 20% fed the dogs on a mixture of commercial food, rice and meat, 22.9% (8/35) fed the dogs on rice and meat while one kennel (2.9%) fed the dogs on a mixture of commercial food, rice, meat and formulated foods.

Tick fever (29.1%) was reported as the most common cause of morbidity in adult dogs followed by flea allergy dermatitis (16%), helminthosis (12.4%), mange (6.9%), eye and ear conditions (5.2%), respiratory conditions (4.6%), reproductive conditions (1.98%), multiple diseases (20.6%) and other unspecified causes (5.2%). The most important reported causes of mortality were old age which was recorded at 24.8%, aflatoxicosis at 19% , cancer at 15.3% and tick fever at 9.5%. Of the dogs sampled, 43.1 % (277/643) were positive for blood parasites. The prevalence rates of the blood parasites were as follows: 1 9.4% for Ehrlichia spp., 4.5% for Babesia spp. and 5% for Haemobartonella spp. Of the dogs sampled, 49% (315/643) were positive for helminths. Ancylostoma caninum had a prevalence rate of 28.5%, Toxocara canis had a prevalence rate of 5.1% while Coccidial cysts had a prevalence rate of 0.2%. The results of this study showed that morbidities and mortalities were high in kenneled adult dogs within Nairobi County and its environs and were associated with food types (p=0.006) and methods used in ectoparasite control (P=0.008) respectively. Awareness of the diseases common to kenneled adult dog population and continued improvements in kennel management may reduce morbidity and mortality, improve quality of life, and extend the lifespan of the dogs. Keywords: adult dogs, kennels, morbidity, mortality, management factors