Health problems of Iraqi police dogs referred to Baghdad Veterinary Hospital during 2015-2017

Abstract

Background and Aim: Police dogs in Iraq have been working mostly as explosive detectors since 2003. The health problems of these dogs are unique and have not been reported in literature. This investigation assessed the prevalence of health problems in Police dogs referred to Baghdad Veterinary Hospital during 2015-2017. Materials and Methods: A total of 1220 police dogs that were referred to Baghdad Veterinary Hospital in 2015-2017 were studied. The dogs were mostly German Shepherd dogs (GSDs) or Belgian Malinois (BM), with an average age of 4.6 years. The dogs’ health problems and some of their risk factors were studied. Results: Congestive heart failure (CHF), babesiosis, various malignancies, and intestinal parasites were the most commonly diagnosed health problems, followed by general aging, bronchopneumonia, otitis, nutritional deficiencies, and anemia. GSDs were more prone to CHF, while BM had more diagnoses of malignancies. Age was associated with both health conditions. Conclusion: The presence of health problems in these working dogs highlights the need for a stricter and more organized preventive schedule to keep the dogs healthy and efficient at old age.