Avaliação do nível de conhecimento dos tutores de cães e gatos sobre zoonoses e guarda responsável

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge of dog and cat tutors treated at the Francisco Edilberto Uchoa Lopes University Veterinary Hospital of the State University of Maranhão, about zoonoses and responsible custody. A structured questionnaire with 4 items was applied, each item having 3 to 15 questions, totaling 28 questions, with 50 animal tutors. Data were analyzed by calculating simple averages and quantifiable percentages. It was found that 25% of tutors have dogs and 20% have cats. All claimed to know that animals can transmit diseases, but 62% are unaware of the term zoonotic diseases and 38% have never received clarification on the subject. More than 90% of those interviewed claimed to know about diseases transmitted by dogs and cats, 98% pointed to the dog as a transmitter of rabies, 90% linked to bites and 88% believed that vaccines were preventable. Regarding Leishmaniasis, 64% of transmissions were related to mosquito bites. 82% of respondents believed that rodentswere involved in the spread of leptospirosis, with 66% citing faeces as a source of contamination and 64% citing rodent control as a preventive measure. Only 44% of tutors statedthat the cat is the transmitter of toxoplasmosis, with feces being the main source (42%) and hygiene as prevention (42%). The results are important for the design of health education strategies focused on public health.