Ten-year (1993 - 2002) retrospective evaluation of vaccination of dogs against rabies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Record books in form of one thousand, four hundred and seventy eight (1478) registers, case notes and vaccination certificates of registered dogs were assessed for rabies vaccination and its booster coverage. The dogs which consisted of 850 males and 628 females were presented at the Small Animal and Preventive Veterinary Medicine Clinics, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Ibadan between January 1993 and December 2002. Among the registered dogs, 155 (10.5%) with annual mean of 9.1 ± 9.1% were vaccinated. Although more females (83 or 13.2%) were vaccinated than male dogs (72 or 8.5%), the difference was not significant (p>0.05). Most vaccinated dogs (121 or 78.1%), were at the initial vaccination age of 3 months and had the highest vaccination coverage (51 dogs (males and females) or 44.3%) while 53 (males and females) dogs (43.8%) were adequately vaccinated. Also, 12 (35.3%) among 34 dogs with booster vaccination were adequately protected against rabies. The current study showed increase in registration of dogs and the cost of vaccination in the clinics. However declined vaccination and booster coverages were observed compared to the previous 5 - year observations of 36.5% vaccination and 59.5% booster coverages. These observations were far below the recommendation of WHO (1989, 1990, 2001) to prevent urban rabies epizootics and epidemics in the area. Since rabies is zoonotic, the study indicated increase danger of contracting rabies by veterinarians, their assistants, dog owners, their family members and the general public.

Keywords: dog-rabies, zoonosis, vaccination and booster coverage, public health, Nigeria

African Journal of Biomedical Research Vol. 8(2) 2005: 71-77