Several studies report that olfactory cues play an important role in human life; humans are essentially able to recognize other family members and friends by their odors. Moreover, recent studies report that humans are also able to identify odors of non-conspecifics. The aim of this study was to determine whether dog owners are able to identify their dogs by smell and distinguish the odor of their own dogs from those of other dogs. A total of 53 dog owners (40 females and 13 males of different ages) volunteered to take part in this study. A number of the participants (17) owned 2 dogs; these owners took part in the study twice (i.e., working with only one dog at a time). Sterile gauze pads were used to collect odor samples from the dogs. Each pad was placed in its own sterile glass jar (750 ml) with a twist off lid until the experiment commenced. Participants were asked to identify their own dog´s odor from a line-up of 6 glass containers. This experiment demonstrated that dog owners are capable of identifying their dogs by smell on a significant level. Results of this study additionally suggested that male owners outperformed their female counterparts in the identification process. Moreover, dog owners whose dogs were housed outside had a higher success rate in identification than did participants who kept their dogs indoors with them. The dog owners found it easier to identify dogs that had been neutered, fed dry dog food and bathed less frequently. In general, younger dog owners tended to have more success when attempting to identify their dogs than did their older counterparts.

• MeSH
• čich fyziologie   MeSH
• diskriminace (psychologie) fyziologie   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• domácí zvířata * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• vlastnictví statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• psi MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

INTRODUCTION: The microbiological aspect of a relationship between pets (dogs/cats) and their owners is mainly concerned with the incidence of shared bacterial species, in particular potential pathogens. Given the great popularity of sharing homes with pets (dogs/cats) in the Czech Republic, there is an increased possibility of communication between microbiota of the two macroorganisms (pet and owner). The aim of the study was to determine the biodiversity of shared bacteria and possibility of exchange of genes of resistance to antimicrobial agents between potential pathogens based on the close relationship between pets and humans. METHODS: A total of 103 samples were collected from 20 pairs (20 owners, 16 dogs and 4 cats). All owners completed a questionnaire with their pets' veterinarians. In owners, swabs were collected from the nasal mucosa, armpit and interdigital spaces of the foot. In pets, swabs were obtained from the external auditory meatus and nasal mucosa. In individuals with skin lesions, samples were also collected from the affected areas. Bacterial species were identified by culture and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. In shared species, susceptibility to antibiotics was tested by the disk diffusion method. Statistical methods were used to correlate the closeness of relationship with the number of shared bacterial species and to correlate previous antimicrobial therapy with shared resistance of the common bacteria. RESULTS: Analysis of the questionnaires showed that 65 % of owners who participated in the study kept more pets at home than only the tested one. In the previous year, 5 % of pets and 5 % of owners received antimicrobial therapy. As many as 45 % of dogs or cats slept in their owners' beds and 80 % rested on a sofa together with their owners. Also, 45 % owners had their faces licked by pets. Eighty percent of pets were fed with several types of food (dry food and cooked food). Further, 70 % of pets lived permanently with their owners in the same household. A total of 76 bacterial species of 33 genera were identified. The most frequently isolated species (29 samples) was S. intermedius. Seventeen bacterial species occurring in both humans and animals were found and identified. At least one bacterial species was shared by 11 pairs and two shared species were found in two pairs. The shared species were S. intermedius, E. coli, E. faecalis, A. lwoffii, P. putida and S. aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested in the shared species. Common antimicrobial resistance was found in four pairs. In one pair, shared E. faecalis showed identical resistance to co-trimoxazole; in another pair, S. intermedius was resistant to gentamycin, erythromycin, clindamycin and co-trimoxazole. The third resistant bacterial species was E. coli; in one pair, it showed borderline resistance to colistin; in the second case, it was fully resistant to this antimicrobial agent. The other pairs with shared bacteria did not show any common resistance. CONCLUSION: The study results showed that there was an association between closeness of the human-pet relationship and the prevalence of shared bacterial species. Pairs with a close relationship were 37.5 % more likely to share bacteria than pairs with a less close relationship. The study suggests that antimicrobial therapy in at least one pair member may increase the risk of shared bacterial resistance.

• MeSH
• Bacteria izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• domácí zvířata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• kočky mikrobiologie   MeSH
• kůže mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nosní sliznice mikrobiologie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi mikrobiologie   MeSH
• sběr dat MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kočky mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• psi mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

INTRODUCTION: The microbiological aspect of a relationship between pets (dogs/cats) and their owners is mainly concerned with the incidence of the shared fungal species that can be potential pathogens. Since sharing homes with pets is very popular in the Czech Republic, there is an increased possibility of communication between microbiota of the two macroorganisms (the pet and the owner). The aim of the study was to determine, based on the close relationship between pets and humans, the biodiversity of shared fungi, also with respect to previous antimicrobial therapy. METHODS: A total of 103 samples were collected from 20 pairs (20 owners, 16 dogs and 4 cats). All owners completed a questionnaire with their pets' veterinarians. In owners, swabs were collected from the nasal mucosa, armpit and interdigital spaces of the foot. In pets, swabs were obtained from the external auditory meatus and nasal mucosa. In individuals with skin lesions, samples were also collected from the affected areas. Fungal species were identified by culture and microscopy methods and confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Statistical methods were used to correlate the closeness of relationship with the number of shared fungal species and to correlate previous antimicrobial therapy with the number of shared species of microscopic fungi. RESULTS: Analysis of the questionnaire found that 65 % of owners who participated in the study kept more pets at home than only the tested one. In the previous year, 5 % of pets and 5 % of owners received antimicrobial therapy. As many as 45 % of dogs or cats slept in their owners' beds and 80 % rested on a sofa together with their owners. Also, 45 % of owners had their faces licked by pets. Eighty percent of pets were fed with several types of food (dry food and cooked food). Further, 70 % of pets lived permanently with their owners in the same household. A total of 45 microscopic fungi species were isolated, of which 15 species occurred in both macroorganisms (pets and humans). Thirty-two species were identified from human and 28 species from animal samples. The most frequent species was the yeast Candida albicans, isolated from 30 samples. From the human nasal mucosa, only four species were isolated. The richest biodiversity was observed in interdigital space samples (26 fungal species). Once again, the most frequent fungal species was C. albicans (8 cases). The most numerous animal samples were obtained from the external auditory meatus. There, the most frequent species was Malassezia pachydermatis (17 cases). In seven pairs, microscopic fungi were shared. Of those, two pairs shared two spe-cies and five pairs shared one species. A total of five fungal species were shared, most often the yeasts C. albicans and Geotrichum candidum. CONCLUSION: The closeness of the human-pet relationship apparently does not influence the number of shared fungal species. The yeast Candida albicans was most frequently isolated from owners as well as from the nasal mucosa in pets. The lipophilic yeast M. pachydermatis most commonly occurred in the material from the external auditory meatus and skin scales from dogs and cats.

• MeSH
• domácí zvířata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• houby izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• kočky MeSH
• kůže MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mykózy epidemiologie   etiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• nemoci koček epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   přenos   MeSH
• nemoci psů epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   přenos   MeSH
• nosní sliznice MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zoonózy epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kočky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

Many studies show that keeping cats and dogs has a positive impact on humans' physical and mental health and quality of life. The existence of this "pet phenomenon" is now widely discussed because other studies performed recently have demonstrated a negative impact of owning pets or no impact at all. The main problem of many studies was the autoselection-participants were informed about the aims of the study during recruitment and later likely described their health and wellbeing according to their personal beliefs and wishes, not according to their real status. To avoid this source of bias, we did not mention pets during participant recruitment and hid the pet-related questions among many hundreds of questions in an 80-minute Internet questionnaire. Results of our explorative study performed on a sample of 10,858 subjects showed that liking dogs has a weak positive association with quality of life. However, keeping pets, especially cats, and even more being injured by pets, were strongly negatively associated with many facets of quality of life. Our data also confirmed that infection by the cat parasite Toxoplasma had a very strong negative effect on quality of life, especially on mental health. However, the infection was not responsible for the observed negative effects of keeping pets, as these effects were much stronger in 1,527 Toxoplasma-free subjects than in the whole population. Any cross-sectional study cannot discriminate between a cause and an effect. However, because of the large and still growing popularity of keeping pets, the existence and nature of the reverse pet phenomenon deserve the outmost attention.

• MeSH
• domácí zvířata * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• internet MeSH
• kočky * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• kvalita života * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mentální terapie MeSH
• pouto mezi člověkem a zvířetem MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• rány a poranění etiologie   MeSH
• Toxoplasma MeSH
• toxoplazmóza etiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• kočky * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• psi * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Adverse food reactions occur in human as well as veterinary patients. Systematic comparison may lead to improved recommendations for prevention and treatment in both. In this position paper, we summarize the current knowledge on immediate-type food allergy vs other food adverse reactions in companion animals, and compare this to the human situation. While the prevalence of food allergy in humans has been well studied for some allergens, this remains to be investigated for animal patients, where owner-reported as well as veterinarian-diagnosed food adverse reactions are on the increase. The characteristics of the disease in humans vs dogs, cats, and horses are most often caused by similar, but sometimes species-dependent different pathophysiological mechanisms, prompting the specific clinical symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Furthermore, little is known about the allergen molecules causative for type I food allergy in animals, which, like in human patients, could represent predictive biomarkers for risk evaluation. The definite diagnosis of food allergy relies-as in humans-on elimination diet and provocation tests. Besides allergen avoidance in daily practice, novel treatment options and tolerization strategies are underway. Taken together, numerous knowledge gaps were identified in veterinary food allergy, which need to be filled by systematic comparative studies.

• Klíčová slova
• cats, dogs, food allergy, horses, molecular allergens,
• MeSH
• časná přecitlivělost diagnóza   veterinární   MeSH
• domácí zvířata imunologie   MeSH
• kočky MeSH
• koně MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• potravinová alergie diagnóza   veterinární   MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kočky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Interactions between humans and pets are increasingly valued in western countries, leading to more extensive contact between humans and their pets within households. Although the magnitude of the risk of transfer of Escherichia coli between humans and their companion animals is undefined, that such transmission occurs has been established and warrants attention. This study examined 186 fresh faecal samples from companion dogs visiting 22 municipal dog parks in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metropolitan area, Minnesota, USA. Samples were processed to isolate 3rd-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli, which were further characterized using PCR-based virulence genotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility profiling and whole-genome sequencing. Of the 186 faecal samples, 29% yielded cephalosporin-resistant E. coli, and 2.2% yielded extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers. Co-resistance to sulfonamides was typical (77.3% of isolates), and multidrug resistance (i.e. to ≥3 antimicrobial classes), including to combinations of tetracyclines, phenicols, quinolones and aminoglycosides, was substantial (18.9% of isolates). Identified beta-lactamase genes included blaCMY-2 , blaTEM-1B , blaTEM-1 , blaCTX-M-24 , blaCTX-M-15 and blaOXA-1 . Genome sequencing of 14 isolates identified genes typical of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli or enteropathogenic E. coli. In three instances, closely related isolates were recovered from different dogs, within either the same park-suggesting transfer of E. coli between dogs within the park-or different parks-suggesting that dogs may be pre-disposed to carry certain E. coli types, such as those from serogroups O4, O71 and O157. This study adds to the existing evidence that companion dogs can harbour and share antimicrobial-resistant E. coli with presumed intestinal or extraintestinal pathogenic potential.

• Klíčová slova
• Escherichia coli, canine, cephalosporin, faecal,
• MeSH
• aminoglykosidy MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• beta-laktamasy genetika   MeSH
• cefalosporiny MeSH
• chinolony * MeSH
• domácí zvířata MeSH
• enteropatogenní Escherichia coli * genetika   MeSH
• feces MeSH
• infekce vyvolané Escherichia coli * epidemiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci psů * epidemiologie   MeSH
• psi MeSH
• sulfonamidy MeSH
• tetracykliny MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Minnesota epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aminoglykosidy MeSH
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• beta-laktamasy MeSH
• cefalosporiny MeSH
• chinolony * MeSH
• sulfonamidy MeSH
• tetracykliny MeSH

The growing numbers of stray dogs and cats have posed serious public-health, socioeconomic, political and animal-welfare problems in many EU countries. Stray animal population control is a complex issue and there are no easy solutions. Recognising the importance of the issue the European Commission has, since 2007, actively contributed to the elaboration of the first global welfare standards for the control of dog populations in the framework of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Problem-solving approaches vary in different countries as there is no common European Community legislation dealing with stray animal control. In this paper the authors describe the characteristics of the stray dog and cat problem in general and focus on existing European legislation. A comparative overview of policies and measures in place in the Czech Republic and in Italy is made to observe the differences between the two countries and understand the different needs in each, considering their historical and social differences (i.e. a post-communist eastern country vs a western country and founder member of what is now the European Union).

• MeSH
• databáze faktografické MeSH
• divoká zvířata * MeSH
• domácí zvířata MeSH
• eutanazie u zvířat statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• kočky * MeSH
• licence zákonodárství a právo   MeSH
• pohoda zvířat zákonodárství a právo   organizace a řízení   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• prosazení zákonů * MeSH
• psi * MeSH
• sociální odpovědnost MeSH
• sterilizace reprodukční zákonodárství a právo   veterinární   MeSH
• veřejné zdravotnictví zákonodárství a právo   MeSH
• vlastnictví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kočky * MeSH
• psi * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Evropa MeSH
• Itálie MeSH

Physical activity (PA) is crucial for maintaining good health of older adults and owning a dog and walking it can enforce it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dog ownership on PA in older adults as well as its positive impact on perceived degree of health, and sleep. There were 44 participants of mean age 68 ± 5.4 years (18 males, 26 females) enrolled in this study (dog owners-DO, n = 26; non-dog owners-NDO, n = 18). Xiaomi Mi Band 2 accelerometer, International Physical Activity Questionnaire- Short form (IPAQ-Short Form) and SF-36 questionnaires were used to measure the level of PA, sleep, and subjective health. A statistically significant difference was observed in favor of dog owners in most of the monitored parameters. All accelerometer PA parameters (step count, activity time, distance, calories) showed a significant difference at a p < 0.01. Sleep parameters were significant in total sleep length (p = 0.05) and light sleep length (p < 0.05). DO reported higher total PA time (min/week), MET/min/week spent in walking, and spent calories/week (p < 0.05). In SF-36 they reported higher score (p < 0.05) in general health, physical functioning, social functioning, pain, vitality, and emotional well-being. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in the DO group (p < 0.01). The results suggest that dog ownership may affect the overall PA and health of older adults.

• Klíčová slova
• dog ownership, health, older adults, physical activity,
• MeSH
• akcelerometrie MeSH
• chůze statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• cvičení * MeSH
• diagnostické sebehodnocení * MeSH
• domácí zvířata * MeSH
• duševní zdraví MeSH
• energetický příjem MeSH
• index tělesné hmotnosti MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi * MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• spánek * MeSH
• vlastnictví MeSH
• zpráva o sobě MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• psi * MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal larval cestodiasis induced by Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) is a common cause of severe infections in domestic dogs and cats, reported also from other mammals and less frequently from birds. However, there is a limited knowledge on the taxonomy of causative agents of this disease. RESULTS: In the present study, we investigated a massive, likely lethal, infection of a song thrush Turdus philomelos (Passeriformes: Turdidae) by Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia. We performed combined morphological and phylogenetic analysis of the tetrathyridia and compared them with the materials obtained previously from other birds and mammals. The metrical data fitted within the wide range reported by previous authors but confirmed the limited value of morphological data for species identification of tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. The molecular analyses suggested that the isolates represented an unidentified Mesocestoides sp. that was previously repeatedly isolated and sequenced in larval and adult forms from domestic dogs and cats in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In contrast to the present study, which found encysted tetrathyridia, four of the five previous studies that identified the same species described infections by acephalic metacestodes only. CONCLUSIONS: The tetrathyridia of the examined Mesocestoides sp. are described in the present study for the first time. However, the possible match with the species that were previously reported to infect birds remains uncertain. The phylogenetic analyses also suggested the rejection of two cases that were previously identified as Mesocestoides corti as they were likely caused by the same species as in the presently reported infection case. The newly provided DNA sequences should allow the assignment to species in the future, when adults of the genus Mesocestoides are more thoroughly sequenced.

• Klíčová slova
• Acephalic metacestodes, Cestoda, Lethal infection, Mesocestoides, Phylogenetic analysis, Tetrathyridia,
• MeSH
• cysticerkóza přenos   veterinární   MeSH
• domácí zvířata parazitologie   MeSH
• fatální výsledek MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• kočky MeSH
• Mesocestoides genetika   patogenita   MeSH
• nemoci koček parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• nemoci psů parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• psi MeSH
• savci parazitologie   MeSH
• sekvence nukleotidů MeSH
• zpěvní ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kočky MeSH
• psi MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that having a dog has an impact on the increase in physical activity (PA) of people. However, what is often not taken into account in many such studies is owning of other pets. The aim of this study was to compare PA levels between animal owners and non-owners and to research potential differences between owners of different kinds of animals. METHOD: 111 young females of mean age 21 ± 1.2 years enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Czech version of short International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess PA level, supplemented with a question about whether they owned an animal and what kind. RESULTS: People who owned a pet had higher frequency and duration of moderate physical activity (MPA) and spent more MET/min/wk. (p < 0.05). This difference has projected into total PA duration and also into calories burned in a week. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference between subgroups of animal owners was also confirmed for MPA and total PA in favour of horse owners. CONCLUSIONS: Animal owners generally reported higher PA levels compared to people who do not own any pets. However, similarly significant in this particular age group was the kind of animal these young women owned.

• Klíčová slova
• Dog walking, Exercise, Horse riding, Human-animal interaction, Pet ownership,
• MeSH
• cvičení * MeSH
• domácí zvířata * MeSH
• koně MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psi MeSH
• vlastnictví statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• psi MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH