Questionnaire: Global Pet Ownership and Responsible Care; International Veterinary Departments
Name of Organisation; SPAY/PANAMA
Country; PANAMA
Telephone; +507-6671-0246
Email;
We will keep all contact information and individual replies confidential.
Section APet Ownership Statistics and Population figures
If possible please complete the following table providing approximate figures for your country.
Dogs / CatsApprox number in country / 9,000,000 / 12,000,000
% kept as pets / 2% / 1%
% feral/stray / 98% / 99%
Average % households owning a dog/cat / Urban: 50%
Rural: 75% / Urban: 60^
Rural: 75%
Average number of dogs/cats per household / Urban: 1
Rural: 3 / Urban: 3
Rural: 5
Section B Veterinary Profession Statistics
- How many Universities / colleges contain veterinary departments training veterinary qualifications in your country? ___1____
- How many students graduate with veterinary qualifications each year in your country?___20____
- How many qualified veterinarians are working in your country at present ? _700______
4. How long is the training period for a veterinary qualification? ___six years______
5. What % of the total course is dedicated to companion animal (dog and cat) medicine / surgery? ______50%______
6. Does the course provide options for students to learn about practical companion animal medicine / surgery – e.g. Is spending time in dog/cat vet or neutering clinics recommended / are practical sessions related to companion animal surgery part of the course ?
__Not much currently, but in the near future the VeterinarySchool of the University of Panama will sign an agreement with Spay/Panama for the students to practice the small incision, early sterilization and use of stainless steel suture______
Working for government / state departments / 50% / Paper shufflers
Working in farm animal only jobs / 10%
Working in companion animals / 10%
Working in mixed (farm and pet animals jobs) / 10%
Retired or in unrelated careers / 3%
Working in other areas (state if possible) / 17% / Vendors for pharmaceutical and veterinary products
What % of all qualified veterinarians working in your country have undertaken their training in other countries but now practice permanently in your country? / 50%
5. What are the most common nationalities of previously qualified vets who arrive in your country to work?___Mexicans______
6. Does your country have a regulating board that oversees veterinary standards? No / Yes
If so, is registration of vets with regulating boards compulsory or voluntary ? _voluntary______
What % of working vets are registered with a regulating board? _____60______%
Section CPet health and husbandry
1. Is there a commercial breeding trade of dogs/cats in your country? What outlets do they use to sell the animals? Are there regulations for such a breeding trade? Are such places inspected by vets?
__Private breeders, animals are sold through ads. No inspections take place______
2. What is the common age at purchase of dogs and cats in your country?
Dogs __2 months______Cats___2 months______
3. What is the average life expectancy of dogs / cats in your country?
DogsAverage age _____15______Range from ______to___
CatsAverage age _____15______Range from ______to___
4. What % of the dog / cat population are regularly seen / registered at a local veterinarypractice
Dogs_____50%______Cats__10%______
5. In your experience, what % of pets are routinely vaccinated in your country?
Dogs ___45______%Cats ___1______%
6.Are there any government organised or national vaccination programmes in place to assist with vaccination of feral / wild animal populations or to assist owners of cats / dogs with vaccination costs?
No / Yes (please provide details below)
____Health Ministry______
7.Please list diseases that pets could be vaccinated against in your country
Dogs / CatsParvo / Feline Panleukopenia Virus
Distempher / Calicivirus/Herpesvirus
Rabies / Chlamydia, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, and Ringworm
If vaccines are rarely available please note below providing reasons if possible
__Canine vaccines are readily available. Feline vaccines are a bit more difficult to purchase______
______
8.Please list the most common zoonotic conditions carried within the dog / cat population
Dogs / Cats9.What % of pets are routinely neutered (spay / castration)?
Dogs male __5______%female ___45______%
Catsmale__40______%female____45_____%
10.Are there any government funded/ national programmes carrying out neutering of feral or wild cat / dog populations within your country?No / Yes – please give details
____Spay/Panama is the only organization carrying out sterilization campaigns of feral cats and dogs______
11.Are there any government or privately funded neutering clinics offering free / low cost neutering to assist pet owners in your country?No / Yes – please give details ____Spay/Panama______
12.Is it common to neuter at less than 6 months?SPAYPANAMA STERILIZES DOGS AND CATS FROM 6 WEEKS OLD
Dogs __YES______Cats____YES______
13.What are the most common methods of neutering / sterilising pets used in your country? E.g. surgical removal of reproductive organs / Fallopian tube tying / vasectomy / chemical sterilisation / hormonal control through drugs
_____REMOVAL OF REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS ______
14.Is pain relief / analgesia routinely provided during neutering procedures?
Dogs No / Yes Details ____Flumixine or dipirone______
Cats No / Yes Details ___Flumixine or dipirone______
15.Who regularly carries out neutering procedures (e.g. vet surgeons / technicians / lay people) in your country?Where do people train in order to undertake this procedure?
___VET SURGEONS______
16.What are the risks of anaesthetic or post operative deaths following neutering in your country? FOR SPAY/PANAMA:
Dogs ______.0025______% dying during / following neutering procedure
Cats______.0025______% dying during / following neutering procedure
Common reasons / comments
______
17.Are there any national / regional taboos or cultural reasons why neutering is considered inappropriate by either the veterinary professionals or animal owners?
No / Yes – please comment
____Only to ignorant people that do not understand the benefits of sterilizations and some veterinarians that insist that female dogs must have 1 litter before being sterilized______
18. How common is it for owners/vets to routinely give anti-worming (anti endoparasite) medication?
___Very common______
19. How common is it for owners/vets to routinely give anti-flea preparations?
___Quite common______
Please list any other commonly provided preventative preparations and state reason for treatment
______
20.In your opinion, what are the most common reasons for owners not undertaking preventative health treatments e.g. low incomes of owners, medications unavailable, lack of available information?
____1. Low incomes of owners 2. lack of available information______
21.How common are nutritional related illnesses within the pet population?
___Quite common______
22.How common is it for veterinary professionals / practices to recommend commercially produced complete diets for pets?
DogCat
Rare (less than 5% vets recommend)------
Uncommon (less than 20 % vets recommend)------
Relatively Common (more than 20% vets recommend)------X------X------
23.Please list the 5 most common causes of pet death in your country for each species
e.g. rabies/leismaniasis/cancer/accidents/euthanasia for non illness related problems
Dogs / CatsCancer / Accidents
Parvo or distempher / FIV or LeFV
Accidents / Cancer
Euthanasia / Euthanasia
24.What are the most usual reasons why people no longer want their pets?
___1. Got bored after the puppy or kitten grew 2. lack of money to buy food or kitty litter 3. behavioral problems______
How do people give up their pets?
(Please rate the following from 1 to 5, where 1 is the most common and 5 is the least common)
Dogs / CatsEuthanasia by vet / 2 / 2
Euthanasia by owner (please state most common methods used by owner)
Giving to rescue centre / shelter
Abandonment / 1 / 1
Other (please state) Give to a friend or family member / 3 / 3
25.What are the most common methods of pet euthanasia used within the veterinary profession?
Please list including name of any drugs regularly used.
___Euthanex______
Any other comments that would help us to better understand pet care and trade in your country?
__SPAY/PANAMA HAS STERILIZED OVER 14,000 ANIMALS SINCE 2002. MUCH NEEDS TO BE DONE TO EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STERILIZATION. THERE ARE TOO MANY PUPPIES AND KITTENS AND NOT ENOUGH GOOD HOMES.______
Thank you for filling in this questionnaire, your help is much appreciated.