HEALTH STATUS OF STRAY DOGS IN HUMAN SOCIETY, THEIR POTENTIAL TO HARBOR VARIOUS FUNGAL PATHOGENS AND CALL FOR HUMANE METHOD OF MANAGEMENT

Dogs harbor and transmit various zoonotic diseases, fungal dermatitis being most prevalent. Animals, especially dogs, being integral pivot of human society need to be analyzed more closely in terms of their social and biological effects on human life. The purpose of this study was to understand the scenario of fungal agents related to dermal infections in dogs from twenty-one locations of Jabalpur (India). In addition, the dog population characteristics including their health status and interaction with human were also evaluated. In year 2017, 1576 dogs and in year 2018, 1740 dogs were surveyed for this purpose. Majority of ailments observed were dermal diseases. It was found that frequency of dermatitis cases was highest (ca.80% in year 2017-2018) among contagious aliments and directly proportional to the density of dogs. Fungi were isolated from hair and scale samples from lesion periphery. Fungi, causing ailments ranging from mild local allergies to contagious cutaneous diseases, were isolated on Dermatophye Test Medium and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar medium. Non- dermatophytic moulds (44.6%) were isolated more frequently than dermatophytes (33.9%). Yeast forms (21.4%) were at third position in frequency of isolation. Aspergillus species (36%) were most frequent non- dermatophyte. Trichophyton species (68.4%) were the most frequently isolated dermatophyte; whereas, Malassezia species (50%) were prominent yeast forms. 47.5% of all isolates were positive for hair perforation test and 70.5% were positive for urease production test; whereas, 3.3% of isolates showed variable results for urease production test. In present research, position of stray dogs in human society in terms of animal welfare and ethical treatment has also been addressed.