Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine

Information about Canine parvovirus (CPV) in dogs is limited in the Gambia; therefore, this retrospective study assessed the prevalence of CPV disease among dogs from Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and West Coast Region (WCR) brought to Central Veterinary Clinic, Abuko, The Gambia. The animals were clinically diagnosed to observe signs of CPV disease. Data from clinic logbooks from January 2020 to December 2023 were obtained on demographic patterns, seasonal effects, symptoms, age and vaccination status. These data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Out of 301 dogs brought to the clinic, 229 suspected cases (76.10%) of CPV were observed. The highest occurrence of suspected CPV cases was recorded in 2022 (31.4%), followed by 2023 (24.5%) and 2020 (22.7%), while the lowest was in 2021 (21.4%). Also, the highest value (14.0%) of the suspected parvo was recorded in February, followed by 13.5% in June, while November had the lowest suspected cases (2.1%). Drier months of the year (December-June) had the highest record compared to July-November. The majority of the suspected parvo cases (76.9%) were observed in adult animals, while (23.1%) were observed in young animals. Geographical distribution data showed that the majority (52.0%) of suspected parvo cases were from the KMC, and (48.0%) were from the WCR. The most common set of clinical signs was "Fever and Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea," accounting for (34.9%) of the suspected cases, followed by "Loss of Appetite, Fever, and Dehydration" with 24.9% of the suspected cases. "Foul Smelling Diarrhoea and Vomiting" accounted for 23.1%. The results revealed that the suspected parvo cases were more prevalent among unvaccinated dogs. It could be concluded from the study that season and vaccination status were potential risk factors associated with CPV among the dog population in KMC and WCR, The Gambia.