2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

The island of St. Kitts in the West Indies has a large feral and semi-feral dog population. Semi-feral dogs present a unique opportunity for study since they are mostly outdoors but are comparatively better taken care of compared to feral dogs. Care tends to range from minimal to adequate, though many owners use the Ministry of Agriculture Veterinary Services for their preventative medicine rather than a veterinary hospital setting. Historically, dogs on the island are endemically infected and infested with internal and ectoparasites, which bring with them numerous vector-bone diseases. Due to the high prevalence of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus, it is not unusual to see prevalence of Ehrlichia canis immunity up towards 40-50%. Recently, a group of veterinarians and students from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine conducted an island-wide "field" study of semi-feral dogs, which was more advantageous than feral dogs when gathering pet information during interactions with owners.