Percepção dos tutores de cães e gatos residentes do Conjunto Gleba 1 (Marambaia, Belém-Pa) quanto à importância da vacinação

Abstract

Living with dogs and cats requires care to maintain animal health, such as vaccination, a practice that prevents and reduces the incidence of infectious and contagious diseases that affect animals. This paper presents an evaluation of the perception of dog and cat tutors residing in the Gleba 1 group (Marambaia, Belém-PA) regarding the importance of vaccination. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to 103 tutors, with 18 objective multiple-choice questions, addressing questions about the socioeconomic profile of the owners; knowledge about vaccination; veterinary guidance; main sources of information; the animal's lifestyle; ectoparasite infestation; carrying out preventive measures and frequencies that are applied; and vaccine booster. The answers were individualized and based only on one animal. During the study period, it was found that 37.9% of the tutors had completed high school; 48.5% receive more than two minimum wages; 89.3% understand the importance of vaccination; 67% know about the polyvalent and anti-rabies vaccine; 62.1% have already received veterinary advice on vaccination; 46.6% and 40.7% of tutors reported having as their main means of information the internet and the veterinarian, respectively. As for the lifestyle of the animals, 89.3% of respondents reported that the animals live indoors; 53.4% have access to the street only when accompanied; 52.4% reported cohabitation; and 77.7% denied contact with rats. About veterinary care, 50.5% take the animals to the veterinarian only when they get sick; 84.5% denied the presence of ectoparasites, and 46.6% control it only when they perceive infestation; and 34% of owners regularly deworm it. As for immunoprophylaxis, 46.6% of the animals receive the polyvalent and anti-rabies, and 43.7% only the anti-rabies. Of the animals that receive the two vaccines, 87.5% are vaccinated by veterinarians, and 12.5% by pet store “clerks”. Of those who have only anti-rabies, 84.4% are vaccinated in a vaccination campaign, and 46.7% are unaware of polyvalent vaccines. As for the vaccine booster, 58.3% annually boost the two vaccines, and 97.8% only the anti-rabies one. It was concluded that it is necessary to raise the awareness of tutors about the importance of deworming dogs and cats, as well as vaccination by veterinarians. In addition, the internet is an essential tool in the dissemination of animal care, making the certification of health sites essential, in addition to being important for the veterinarian to use it as an ally in the dissemination and promotion of animal health, reaching a greater number of tutors with information from classified sources.