DIROFILARIOSE EM CÃES ATENDIDOS NO HOSPITAL VETERINÁRIO DA UEMA: PREVALÊNCIA DE ANIMAIS INFECTADOS E NÍVEL DE CONHECIMENTO DOS TUTORES SOBRE A DOENÇA.
DIROFILARIOSE EM CÃES ATENDIDOS NO HOSPITAL VETERINÁRIO DA UEMA: PREVALÊNCIA DE ANIMAIS INFECTADOS E NÍVEL DE CONHECIMENTO DOS TUTORES SOBRE A DOENÇA.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1342410072
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Palavras-chave: posse responsável. Canídeos. zoonose.
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Keywords: responsible ownership. canidea. zoonosis.
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Abstract: Heartworm disease is a cosmopolitan parasitic infection, with zoonotic potential, caused by the nematode Dirofilaria immitis, transmitted by a wide variety of mosquito species. Its definitive host is the dog, which, when infected, can exhibit severe lung changes, which can cause acute symptoms and death. The city of São Luís, State of Maranhão, has climatic characteristics that provide ideal conditions for the life cycle of insect vectors of heartworm disease, which favors an increase in the number of infected animals. The perception of dog owners treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the State University of Maranhão HVU-UEMA about heartworm disease was evaluated through the application of questionnaires to dog owners, involving socioeconomic aspects, management of domiciled dogs and knowledge about heartworm disease and determined The prevalence of animals affected by this disease was determined based on the analysis of the HVU database. The study revealed that the majority of owners interviewed practice responsible dog ownership, however, unsatisfactory results were noted in some variables, such as castration and veterinary monitoring, and they also stated that they did not know about heartworm disease, its symptoms and its zoonotic capacity. Although heartworm endemicity was not found in HVU-UEMA, the disease was diagnosed in some animals. Thus, the information obtained points to the need for health education work developed for dog owners about heartworm disease, with a focus on prevention, to avoid the emergence of a public health problem in the future
- Daniel Welligton Brito de Souza
- LENKA DE MORAIS LACERDA
- Carla Janaína Rebouças Marques do Rosário
- Juliana Lacerda Melo
- Maria Inez Fernandes Carneiro
- Adonias Primeiro Rocha Dias