Puppy morbidity and mortality among breeding kennels in Nairobi, Kenya
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Date
2015Author
Konde, Andrew M
Gitau, George K
Kiptoon, Japheth
Gakuya, Daniel
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Aim
The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of puppy morbidity and mortality in breeding kennels in Nairobi.
Materials and methods
A total of 35 kennels with 556 puppies were selected at random and a questionnaire administered. The study was carried
out between 1st October 2013 and 31st March 2014. Faecal samples were taken to determine the levels of infestation to
determine whether there was association with puppy morbidity and mortality.
Results
Among all kennels studied, puppy morbidity was noted to be at an average rate of 34.7% (193/556) while puppy mortality
was 21.2% (118/556). The majority of the kennels, 57% (20/35), had puppy deaths with 3% (1/35) of the kennels
experiencing puppy mortality in every other litter. There were puppy deaths in 34% (12/35) of the kennels but
the puppy mortality was rare while 6% (2/35) reported no puppy mortality. Puppy morbidity was reported in 37.1%
(13/35) of the kennels in every litter, 25.7% (9/35) had puppy morbidity in every other litter, 31.4% (11/35) rarely
had puppy morbidity, whilst only 5.7% (2/35) reported no morbidity.
Conclusion
It is noted that puppy morbidity and mortality is prevalent in Nairobi (Kenya) at 34.7% and 21.2% respectively. There was
no association between the age of the puppy and puppy mortality (p < 0.140) but there was positive association between
the age of the puppy and puppy morbidity (p < 0.003).
Keywords: Age; Litter; Worms; Population; Veterinary
Citation
Konde AM, Gitau GK, Kiptoon J, Gakuya D. "Puppy morbidity and mortality among breeding kennels in Nairobi, Kenya." Jacobs Journal of Veterinary Science Research. 2015;1(4):019.Publisher
University of Nairobi