Monitoring canine populations as part of a dog health program in Australian

Indigenous communities

Elizabeth Tudor, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia

Dogs in Australian Indigenous communities

Over 600 remote Indigenous communities in Australia

Most have significant dog populations Many receive no veterinary care

Dog populations in Indigenous communities

The issues: Dog numbers Dog noise- barking and fighting at night disturbs peoples sleep Dog litter - faeces - spilling of rubbish and scavenging Dog bites Dog diseases- zoonosis Cruelty to dogs

The canine health program: WALDHeP

West Arnhem Dog Health Program

(WALDHeP) established and supported by Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne

The canine health program: WALDHeP

Goals: To make a measurable difference to the health

and well being of dogs of West Arnhem and thereby to contribute to the well being of their owners.

Annual visits provide: Surgical de-sexing program House to house consultation with parasite control

program and other veterinary care Support for ongoing Council-run parasite control

program Annual audit of dog population and health status

Western Arnhem Land Dog

Health Program

Does your dog need an operation? Does your dog have bad skin? Would you like him to see the vet?

Rick and Liz, Lucy, Frances and the Durruk Doctor Mob

will be in Gunbalanya next week (Monday July 14th- Friday July 18th)

Please talk to Janetta at the Council office

and let her know where you live and which of your dogs needs treatment.

Population control - surgical de-sexing

Community outreach and parasite control program

Capacity building in parasite control program

Measures of dog population health

Population size Percentage entire dogs Body condition score Skin score

Map of Gunbalanya Three camps

Arguluk

Middle Camp

Banyan

Results of longitudinal dog audit April- October 2009

118 115

105 105 99

88

58 65

61

52 52 46

35 29

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

April May June July August September October

Arguluk Middle Camp

Numbers of identifiable (microchipped) dogs in each of two camps over 7 month period

Body condition

score a 1-9 scale

Skin Scoring 1-5 scale

1

2

3 4

5

Audit of skin health

Skin health Higher

proportion of entire dogs have poorer skin health

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

1 2 3 4 5

Per

cent

age

of d

ogs

Skin Score

Male Entire, n=60

Female Entire, n=31

Male Desexed, n=37

Female Desexed, n=25

Measures of dog population health 2007-2010

Population size decreased from >400 dogs to 320 dogs

Percentage entire dogs decreased from 80% to 17%

Body condition score improved- 85% of dogs in ideal body condition

Skin score improved - 75% of dogs have no evidence skin

disease

Ongoing Monitoring- File maker Pro

Search and Sort Find function Houses with two entire

dogs

Keys to successful programs in Indigenous communities

Relationship building Reliability Sustainability

Acknowledgements Faculty of Veterinary Science, UoM

West Arnhem Shire Council Colleagues

Dr Lucy White Dr Frances Higgins Dr Matthew Ray Dr Alison Ray Professor Robin Gasser Assoc Professor Jenny Charles Dr Brian ODonohue Dr Ewen Macmillan

Students of Western Arnhem Land Dog Health Program Lilly Brophy, Julie Ward Daniel Tung, Nicola le Blanc Smith, Kate Thompson Lizzie Goldstraw, Nao Takeuchi, Kathryn Andrews Lachlan Hughes, Keshe Shuan Chow Hugh Crockford, Rose Hadden, Clare Matheson Wei Kee Ang, Julia de Bruyn, Ben Kaye Trent Taylor Jarrett Brown, Elana McKeown, Jaclyn Gatt, Sally Anne Richter Cassie Nelson, Ashley Phipps, Roslyn Choi, Jemima Amery-Gale,

Yvette Lam, Rebekah Liffman, Nadia Wong Rikki Ciolek, Karienne Black, Lexi Austen-Wishart, Crystal Lord,

Stacia Thompson, Natalie Roadknight, Penny Witt Jurox Pharmaceutical Bayer Animal Health Braun Surgical

The screening of canine populations for parasites with zoonotic potential, as part of a canine health program in Australian

Indigenous communities

The zoonotic risk

A tropical climate Poor sanitation

The zoonotic risk People live in close association with

their dogs

The zoonotic risk Dogs are free roaming

Canine infectious agents with zoonotic potential

Ectoparasites Sarcoptes scabiei var canis (scabies) Ctenocephalides spp (Fleas)

Endoparasites Nematodes

Ancylostoma (hook worm) Toxocara canis ( round worm) Strongyloides stercoralis (putative zoonosis)

Protozoans Giardia duodenalis spp Cryptosporidium parvum and hominis

Estimating burden of zoonotic disease

Ectoparasite infestation

Assessment of skin health, confirmed by skin scraping

Endoparasite infestation Faecal examination

Flotation method with microscopic identification of egg (helminths) or parasite (protozoans)

Molecular methods

Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burden

Allow identification and genetic characterization of canine parasites of zoonotic potential

Methodology: faecal samples collected from ground or directly

from the dog (during handling for other surgical procedures)

Stored frozen for transport to laboratory polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based mutation

scanning and sequencing employed to screen for helminths and protozoa with zoonotic potential

Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burden

Four samples were positive for

the macropod helminth Labiostrongylus spp

One sample was positive for the porcine helminth Metastrongylus spp

In both cases, positive samples were obtained from dogs residing in areas close to a household that owned an animal of the host species

The positive identification was assumed to be the result of coprophagy and passage of eggs or worms through the dog

Sites of collection of faecal samples positive for macrpod helminth Labiostrongylus spp (red)

and porcine helminth Metastrongylus spp (blue) in Gunbalanya

Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burden

21% of 130 samples were positive for A. Caninum (hookworm) despite a community wide monthly treatment program

1% of 130 samples were positive for Giardia duodenalis (assemblage C)

Sites of collection of faecal samples positive for A Caninum in Gunbalanya

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that molecular methods are sensitive

tools for screening animal populations for diseases with zoonotic potential

Large sample numbers can be collected readily, and screened for a range of infestations

Future work can expand the application of these techniques to screen for other parasite species, and to improve understanding of the reservoir of infection in the canine population, and the potential for transmission to people

Careful sampling and recording will inform the ongoing dog health program, as well as health management strategies for Indigenous people.

Monitoring canine populations as part of a dog health program in Australian Indigenous communities Dogs in Australian Indigenous communitiesDog populations in Indigenous communitiesSlide Number 4 The canine health program: WALDHeP The canine health program: WALDHePSlide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Community outreach and parasite control programSlide Number 11Slide Number 12 Measures of dog population healthMap of GunbalanyaResults of longitudinal dog audit April- October 2009Slide Number 16Skin Scoring1-5 scaleAudit of skin health Measures of dog population health 2007-2010Ongoing Monitoring- File maker ProSlide Number 21Search and Sort Keys to successful programs in Indigenous communitiesSlide Number 24The screening of canine populations for parasites with zoonotic potential, as part of a canine health program in Australian Indigenous communitiesThe zoonotic riskThe zoonotic riskThe zoonotic risk Canine infectious agents with zoonotic potential Estimating burden of zoonotic disease Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burden Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burden Molecular methods for estimation of parasite burdenConclusions