Meeting the challenges of sustainable growth in livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa requires significant improvements in animal health with adequate access to veterinary services. Since the 1980s, veterinary services in developing countries including Nigeria has witnessed a decline in government involvement and is currently almost private sector driven. Veterinary retail shops have emerged as important players in the provision of animal health services. However, diseases such as helminthiasis continue to occur with a high proportion in Nigerian livestock, despite the availability of veterinary drug retail outlets. A cross sectional survey was carried out in Tsaragi and Lafiagi rural areas of Kwara state, to asses the owners, sales persons and business characteristics of veterinary retail outlets with the aid of structured questionnaire administered at interview and transect walk, carried out to appraise their capacities to provide adequate veterinary services. A total of 27 veterinary retail outlets made up of 13 agro-veterinary shops, 4 pharmacies, 4 general shops and 6 open market veterinary shops were interviewed. Majority of the veterinary shop owners and sales persons lacked professional qualification despite having an average of 10 years of experience retailing veterinary drugs. All respondents received veterinary drugs from wholesalers. Albendazole was the only type of anthelminthic stocked by the shops. Veterinarians and Animal Health Workers were the most important source of information about veterinary drugs. Dosage and drug dispensing of recommended quantities based on animal body weight was the greatest challenge in the sale of veterinary drugs. This study concludes that there is an urgent need for involvement of Veterinarians in the veterinary drug chain and the need to consider training and certification of Animal Health Workers in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
Key words: Agro-vet, Livestock, Veterinary shops, Veterinarian, Veterinary services, Livestock development
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