Assessment of Dog Owners’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Rabies in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis of serious public health concern worldwide that occurs in over 150 countries. In Nigeria, the disease is  endemic and remains neglected, misdiagnosed and underreported. The level of public awareness perceptions and attitudes towards the  disease are important factors in planning for effective control strategies. The aim of the study is to assess dog owners’ Knowledge,  Attitudes and Practices (KAP) towards rabies in Sabon Gari Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna state. Structured questionnaire was  prepared and administered between December 2022 and March 2023 to 400 dog owners to assess their KAP towards rabies. The survey  gathered data on demographic characteristics of the dog owners and KAP of dog owners towards rabies. Associations between  demographic variables and the scores related to KAP were analyzed using Chi square (χ2). Majority (94.6%) of the dog owners have heard  about rabies; however, 54% were ignorant of the fact that rabies spread through the saliva of a rabid dog. Only 47.8% knew that  rabies has no cure. Most respondents (67.8%) did not know that at 3 months of age all dogs should receive their first dose of anti-rabies  vaccination. There was a statistically significant association (P= 0.00) between educational level and occupation of respondents with the  categorized knowledge score. Dog owners had acceptable knowledge of rabies (68.9%) and a positive attitude (77.5%). They, however, lack comprehensive understanding of the disease. Unsatisfactory practices from the dog owners (51.2%) were also identified. Dog  owners should be given more enlightenment on the importance of rabies vaccination for dogs and the potential risks associated with  rabies transmission.