Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward canine cardiac disease among dog owners in Malaysia

Canine cardiac disease is a very common disease occurring worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of dog owners in Malaysia toward canine heart diseases. A self-administered online based questionnaire was distributed to dog owners and data was able to be collected from a total of 156 respondents. The questionnaire inquired about the owner’s ability to identify the clinical signs, risk factors, types of canine cardiac disease and also dog owner’s attitude and practice towards canine cardiac disease. Data collected was entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. Numerical data was presented in the form of standard deviations and means. Categorical data was presented in the form of percentages. The total knowledge, attitude and practice score was then computed. Overall, dog owners in Malaysia have a good knowledge, moderate attitude and good practice toward canine heart disease. These findings could aid veterinarians in conducting a more thorough and detailed consults and client education in improving the knowledge, attitude and practice among dog owners in Malaysia towards canine cardiac disease.
Key words: Canine, Cardiac disease, Knowledge, Attitude and practice