Studies on Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour of dogs in Mvomero and Morogoro municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) is a contagious tumour that is naturally transmitted between dogs by the allogeneic transfer of living tumour cells during coitus. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mvomero and Morogoro Municipality between September and November 2017 in order to determine the prevalence of CTVT and level of people’s awareness on the disease. The knowledge and interventions in reference to CTVT were evaluated using a structured questionnaire, whereas the status of the disease in animals was investigated through clinical examination. A total of 200 respondents were interviewed and 300 dogs were examined. Results on questionnaire showed that, most of the respondents had their dogs managed freely as stray dogs. Majority of the dog owners had one to five dogs and with no controlled breeding. It was further established that majority of the respondents knew CTVT as a disease of bleeding in dogs and had seen dogs affected by the disease suggesting that the disease is
common in the study areas. Nevertheless, the real cause and treatment was not clear to most of the dog keepers. Based on clinical examination of dogs, the prevalence of CTVT in dogs was 12%, with Mvomero district having more cases of CTVT, 23 (15.4%) than Morogoro Municipality which had 13 (8.6%). In Mvomero district, Dakawa ward had the highest number of CTVT cases 12 (8.1%). Furthermore, it was found that male dogs were more affected by CTVT (15.3%) as compared to female dogs (8.7%). This study shows that magnitude of CTVT is high in the study area and insufficient knowledge and misconception on clinical presentation, spread, and treatments of the disease prevail. Therefore deliberate measures aimed at minimizing the problem need to be taken.

Key words: TVT, dogs, management, tumours