Survey on sanitary practices and knowledge about infectious diseases among equine owners in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Medeiros , Paulo Roberto
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Figueiredo, Liliany Silva, de Melo, Ubiratan Pereira, Mariz, Amanda Louíse Bittencourt, de Brito Filho, Emilson Lima, Araújo, Ingrid Raquel dos Santos, Silva Junior, Allyson Lincoln Da Costa, Costa, Mariana Henrique da Silveira, Ferreira, Cintia, Assis, Daniel Barbosa, da Silva, Camilla Raylly Miguel, de Souza, Aldemir Lopes, de Souza, Magna Pereira da Silva
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Medicine
• Texto Completo: https://bjvm.org.br/BJVM/article/view/1305
• topic: deworming, equine, infectious disease, sanitary management; desparasitação, equinos, doenças infecciosas, manejo sanitário.

As the primary decision-maker about the health, nutrition, and well-being of their horses, owners’ knowledge of correct management practices and clinical changes can potentially affect the immediate health of their horses, in addition to having an impact on the prevention of disease spread in the herd. The adoption of management practices to prevent the introduction and spread of pathogens depends on various factors, including demographics, awareness of the problem, perceived responsibility, previously held beliefs, and sociocultural norms. This study aimed to evaluate the health management practices and the level of knowledge about infectious diseases of equine owners in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a questionnaire to horse owners in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The participants included horse owners irrespective of the duration of ownership, experience, or sports practiced. In addition to the hygiene and management of animals, the questionnaire addressed topics related to the facilities where the horses were kept. Three hundred and two horse owners distributed in 60 of the 167 municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Norte participated in this study. Among the interviewed owners, 63.90% (193/302) answered that they do not quarantine animals introduced into the herd or those visiting the property. Regarding the deworming program, 95.03% (287/302) of the owners regularly dewormed their animals. However, more than half of the participants sought veterinary guidance (54.30%). Investing in educational programs and increasing the awareness of equine owners in the state of Rio Grande do Norte about the main infectious diseases in horses is essential toward improving sanitary management and the general health of animals. Informed owners play an essential role in creating safer environments for their horses, thereby contributing to the sustainability of the equine industry.