title: A survey of pet ownership, awareness and public knowledge of pet zoonoses with particular reference to roundworms and hookworms in Harare, Zimbabwe.
abstract: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was carried out in Harare to assess pet ownership and public awareness with regard to pet zoonoses. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information on pet ownership, health and welfare of pets, pet owners' knowledge and awareness of pet zoonoses with particular emphasis on hookworms and roundworms. The results demonstrated that the proportion of pet owners who knew helminths as zoonoses in dogs (21.3%) and cats (1.1%) was low compared to rabies (95.7%) with ancylostomosis (4.3%) and toxocariosis (2.1%) being the specific parasitic zoonoses known to occur in dogs and toxoplasmosis (2.1%) in cats. More than 50% of the pet owners indicated that veterinarians never discussed the potential hazards of zoonoses or discussed it only when asked and 33% indicated that veterinarians initiated discussion of the subject whenever zoonoses were diagnosed in pets. Over 90% of the pet owners indicated that veterinarians should discuss zoonoses with them. Further investigations are necessary to determine the current prevalence of intestinal nematode infections in dogs and cats in the various regions of the country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zimbabwe, P. O. Box MP 167, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe. dmpfukenyi@vet.uz.ac.zw
authors.forename: Davies Mubika
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pfukenyi
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chipunga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dinginya
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matenga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015030:Zimbabwe; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000469:parasitology*
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1991 Jan 15;198(2):216-21
references.pmid: 2004977
references.citation: Semin Vet Med Surg Small Anim. 1991 Aug;6(3):227-35
references.pmid: 1962007
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1980 Dec 15;177(12):1212-5
references.pmid: 7440322
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1991 Sep 15;199(6):702-7
references.pmid: 1955360
references.citation: Adv Parasitol. 1995;36:1-45
references.pmid: 7484465
references.citation: Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1987 Nov;17(6):1307-39
references.pmid: 3328391
references.citation: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1989 Sep;41(3 Suppl):21-34
references.pmid: 2679161
references.citation: Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1993 Sep;7(3):717-32
references.pmid: 8254168
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1994 Dec 15;205(12):1711-8
references.pmid: 7605476
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1988 Oct 15;193(8):920-2
references.pmid: 3192472
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 1980 Jul-Aug;95(4):307-12
references.pmid: 6999524