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
140

120

118

115
105

105

99

100

88
80
65

61

60

52

52

58
46
35

40

29

20

0
April

May

June

July
Arguluk

August

September

October

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
3

4
5

Audit of skin health

60%

Skin health
Percentage of dogs

Higher
proportion of
entire dogs have
poorer skin
health

50%

40%

Male Entire, n=60

30%

Female Entire, n=31

Male Desexed, n=37
Female Desexed, n=25

20%

10%

0%
1

3
Skin Score

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

Houses with
two entire
dogs

Find
function

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.