A five-year analysis of diseases of dogs and cats in the Veterinary Clinic of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A survey is presented of the diagnoses found in 2938 dogs and 32 cats, treated between January 1976 and January 1980 at the Veterinary Clinic of Freetown. More than one third of the dogs (1175) and 13 cats were infected by Ancylostoma spp., whereas Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina were encountered in 236 and 232 dogs, respectively. Noteworthy is also the relatively high figure of 12 dogs affected by Negri bodies (rabies). It is pointed out that dogs and cats move about fairly freely in the city, which constitutes a considerable source of infection for humans.