The purpose of this diploma work is to introduce zootherapy and therapy dog and to determine the possibilities of employing therapy dogs in education of children in elementary and special schools. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the description of zootherapy, its forms and methods. It also deals with preparation and exams for therapists. Lastly there is a section on therapy dogs, their personality and preparation for this field of work. You can also find some information on how to choose the best puppy using the puppy aptitude test. The practical part of this thesis deals with the employment of animal assisted therapy at normal and speial schools. The results had been achieved through interviews that I had made with therapists who use dogs at schools and also through obseration during those classes.

This diploma thesis discusses the fundamental aspects in dog's nutrition. In this diploma thesis is also compared the digestibility of in vivo and in vitro dry matter and organic matter of granulated dog food.

L'oleat d'estrona administrada oralment produeix una reducció del pes corporal deguda principalment a la pèrdua de massa grassa de l'organisme. En aquest treball ens hem centrat en estudiar els efectes del tractament a curt termini amb oleat d'estrona per tal de conèixer quins mecanismes d'acció estan implicats en els seus efectes reductors del pes corporal. Es van iniciar els estudis amb models in vitro, però la presència d'una espècie enzimàtica amb forta activitat sobre la molècula de treball impedeix continuar la línia de treball. Els models in vivo van permetre afirmar que l'oleat d'estrona duu a terme els seus efectes sobre el pes corporal i el metabolisme per vies diferents de les activades com a conseqüència d'una restricció energètica de la ingesta. D'altra banda es va determinar que l'efecte més primerenc del tractament a curt termini amb oleat d'estrona era la reducció dels nivells de colesterol plasmàtic a patir de les 6 hores de l'administració de la primera dosi oral. Aquesta davallada es deguda bàsicament a un increment del recanvi de colesterol esterificat, conseqüència d'un transport lipoproteic accelerat.El teixit adipós blanc experimenta una reducció del nombre cel·lular degut, en part, a un increment de la via apoptòtica en resposta al tractament, que varia la seva via d'activació en funció de la localització adiposa. Finalment es van realitzar estudis d'expressió gènica en teixit adipós mitjançant la tècnica del arrays de DNA. L'anàlisi de les dades obtingudes indicava diferències significatives pel que fa l'expressió de diversos factors implicats en l'extracció d'àcids grassos de les lipoproteïnes (reducció de l'expressió de LPL), en el transport d'àcids grassos (reducció de FABP4 i FATP1), en generar àcids grassos de nova síntesi (reducció de l'ACC i FAS) i en la mobilització de reserves lipídiques i oxidació dels àcids grassos (reducció expressió d'HSL i CPT1b), estant el procés global controlat per factors reguladors com TNFα. / Oral oleoyl estrone treatment induces body weight loss mainly due to fat pad waste. In this work, we focused on the study of short term effects of oleoyl estrone in order to elucidate the main mechanisms involving their weight reduction effects.Initially, in vitro models were used, but the presence of an enzymatic activity affecting our study molecule made it difficult to follow this particular path.In vivo models allowed us to determine that oleoyl estrone directly affects body weight by other ways rather than those used by food restriction.Moreover, it was observed that a decrease on plasmatic cholesterol levels was the first metabolic effect detected on treated animals, just from the very 6 hours after the initial oral dose. Decrease on cholesterol levels could be explained by an increased cholesteryl-ester turnover, essentially as a consequence of accelerated lipoprotein handling.Furthermore, adipose tissue reduces their cellular number on treated animals, in part, by the activation of apoptotic mechanisms through different pathways depending on the adipose pad location.Finally, we studied gene expression in adipose tissue by DNA arrays. The analysis of the results showed significant statistical differences on the expression rates of some genes related to the extraction of fatty acids from lipoproteins (reduced expression of LPL), fatty acid transport (reduction FATP1, FABP4), on generating new synthesized fatty acids (reduced FAS and ACC) and the mobilization of lipidic stores and fatty acid oxidation (reduced HSL and CPT1b), being all the process controlled by some regulatory factors (TNFα).

The goal of the thesis is to evaluate the haematologic indicators of red blood cells depending to the physiological condition and yield of cattle, sheep and dogs. The evaluation of qualitative parameters of red blood cells included 59 dairy cows, 57 meat cows, 62 sheep and 73 dogs. The evaluation of the haematologic parameters of cattle was performed based on the production (yield) type and by season; that of sheep, by season, age and sex of lambs; and that of dogs, by sex, age and size - weight. The yield types showed statistically significant difference between the number or erythrocytes, haematocrit, haemoglobin, MCV and MCH concentration. The dairy cows showed seasonal fluctuations of the number of erythrocytes, haematocrit and haemoglobin; the meat cows showed fluctuations of the haemoglobin, MCH and MCHC values. The age influenced higher values of erythrocytes in sheep and lower values of MCV and MCH in lambs. The sex of lambs did not lead to significant differences. The evaluation of dogs by age showed differences of haematocrit and haemoglobin values. The dog size (weight) and the sex did not have demonstrable influence on haematologic values. Anaemia was found in 36 % dairy cows (it did not occur in meat cattle) and in 2 sheep (3 %). By most authors, anaemia was not found in dogs.

The dog was domesticated approximately 15,000 years ago. We can find large number of breeds of various sizes, types and colours. Small dogs plays an important role in some cultures, religion or society. Most of them were bred in order to meet specific need. Among small breeds of dogs we find bold and hardy terriers, intelligent and funny poodles and bichon or hunting dogs. Durring the domestication of dogs enormous genetic pressure was developed and it was reflected in the health of dogs. The aim of thesis was to find out the average life expectancy of small dog breeds and to reveal the most frequent diseases and causes of death. Data were obtained from 441 individuals of different purebred dogs with pedigree, 196 males and 245 females. Data of the health profile of individuals came from the Czech Republic and from abroad. The total life expectancy, life expectancy by gender and breeds, death causes, incidence of the disease during life, or whether castration effected life expectancy were assessed. It was found that the life expectancy of small breed dogs is 11.8 years. The average age of males and females were differed by about three months. The females lived longer. Statistically significant difference was not found. Quite a lot of individuals (45%) were castrated. Statistically significant differences were confirmed between castrated and uncastrated bitches. Neutered bitches lived for about one and a half year longer. The most common cause of death of small dog breeds became overall age (34.6%). The second one was cancer (26.3%). Two hypotheses were set. The first hypothesis assumes that females of small breed dogs live longer than males. This hypothesis was not confirmed. The second hypothesis was that one of the predisposing factors for longevity is a long time exposure of the ovary in the body. Neutered bitches up to 8 years of life and uncastrated females live longer than females neutered before (under the age of 5). This hypothesis has not also been confirmed. It was confirmed, that there is a statistically significant difference between castrated and uncastrated females, regardless of the age of castration. Neutered bitches lived for about one and a half years longer. Further, statistically significant differences between castrated and uncastrated females within the breed were confirmed. For Scottish Terrier breed neutered bitches survived for about five years longer than uncastrated females.

Patellar luxation is a condition subject to heredity. It varies in gravity depending on its clinical grade and on the duration of luxation. Patellar luxation may be medial which is more common type and lateral which is less common. Often the only way to sustain a comfort of a dog patient and its normal use of a hind limb is surgical management. Considering a hereditary and congenital aspect of patellar luxation we see that it is an important breeding problem and some measures should be taken to stop its spread in breeds. The cranial cruciate ligament rupture is mostly traumatic in origin and affects especially large and giant breed dogs although all breeds may be affected. In the lower percentage of cases there is possible a degenerative origin of the disease. There is a higher prevalence of the disease in older and less active dogs. After a diagnosis of a LCC rupture surgical intervention should be implied and performed as soon as possible to put an end to the progress of arthrotic changes and to sustain the patients comfort. This master thesis was also concerned with original research examining 23 dogs with patellar luxation or LCC rupture, two dogs of these afflicted with both. Hypotheses of the thesis introduction have been mostly confirmed, LCC rupture afflicted especially overweight or obese individuals (56%), predominant affliction of females has been also confirmed (56%), partly also increased affliction of neutered animals (25% females, 6% males). Medial patellar luxation is distinctively more common than lateral one, the hypothesis has been confirmed, medial patellar luxation afflicted 100% of the dogs. Medial patellar luxation affects mostly small and miniature breeds, the hypothesis has been confirmed, all examined dogs were of small or miniature breed (100%).

The thesis explores the canine oral cavity, namely, the teeth and the most common dental diseases. Dental injury and disease in dogs is a topic of growing interest in veterinary science. The theoretical section discusses the anatomy of the head, oral cavity and teeth. It presents general knowledge of veterinary dentistry and a list of the most common oral cavity diseases. The practical section explores the suitability and the effectiveness of two prevention methods against the build-up of dental plaque, respectively, against the spread of periodontitis. Diseases affecting the periodontium are increasingly common in dogs; they are deemed to be the most frequent diseases affecting small animals above five years of age. There are two most common periodontal diseases. The first, gingivitis, is a reversible inflammation of the gum. The second, periodontitis, is essentially irreversible without specialized treatment and often leads to loss of teeth. The major criterion for maintaining a healthy oral cavity is prevention. Therefore, two methods of home-based prevention are compared in the practical part of the thesis. First, all patients underwent a full-scale dental treatment in a veterinary centre, that is, a comprehensive ultrasonic cleaning and polishing with dental cleaning paste. Then, ascophyllum nodosum, a seaweed also known as Norwegian kelp, was mixed within the daily food ration of half of the patients. In this way, the teeth were being cleaned passively. The second half of the patients had their teeth cleaned with Orozyme, an enzyme-formula oral hygiene gel for dogs, and this way an active teeth cleaning method was explored. Six weeks after the initial dental treatment, a dental plaque identification test was carried out in a veterinary centre. Statistical analysis of the resulting data did not signal substantial differences between the treatment with Norwegian kelp and that of using the oral gel. A combination of the two techniques is, therefore, recommended as the best prevention strategy against plaque build-up.

The goal of the thesis was to find out if dog´s presence and the targeted work of a child with a dog helps improve children´s attention to teaching and their results. The majority of academic literature shows that dog assisted therapy constitutes a clear benefit for children. However, the research on this topic is still in its infancy and the literature is still relatively limited. The thesis deals with the interactions of a child and a dog, especially in the case of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specific learning disorders (SPU), and autistic spectrum disorders (PAS). The general conclusion of the existing literature is that animal assisted therapy with the dog helps children with ADHD improve their fine motor skills, increases their attention, decreases aggressiveness, and helps to improve speech disorders. But it is not clear what the impact on other types of disorders is. This thesis first focuses on reviewing the existing literature and its main results that mostly confirm the positive influence of involving the dog in therapy by all observed disorders. The second part of the thesis deals with experimental verification of the hypothesis of a positive influence the dog´s presence and the targeted work of 8 children in the age of 7-9 years from a special school has on attention and behavior in the classroom. Four of the children were diagnosed with ADHD, two with SPU, and two with an autistic spectrum disorder. The experiment was carried out two times a week, and focused on observing the extent of children´s concentration on the given task, calming down, attention while solving the assignments, and reduction of negative physical contacts among observed subjects. The data collection took place during regular classes. Once in a week, the class was preceded by the animal assisted therapy with the dog, which formed the treatment group. The second session in the week was not preceded by any therapy to establish the control group for the experiment. The results verify our hypothesis by revealing the strengthening of the positive influence of teaching on the observed skills of the children. The positive influence of the dog is supported by the fact that the children achieved more success in its presence. However, further research on larger samples and children from other age categories is needed.

Survivability of human scent was observed by many scientists mainly in artificial conditions (Hudson et al., 2009; Santariová et al. 2012; Preti et al., 2006). Against this exists a few researches about survivability of human scent in nature conditions (King et al., 1964; Santariová et al., 2016). On glass tubes were taken individual humant scent from 6 volunteers. Target scents were left outdoor during 2 different periods of year. Winter samples from 3 target people were outdoor from November to May and summer samples from other 3 people from May to December. Always after 3, 4, 5 a 6 months was taken scent from 1 glass tube of each target person. After last time period was taken scent from target people on cotton textile. Scent of other volunteer was taken at the same time for purpose scent deceptions. Then was observed if dogs will be able to identify these samples corectly. Specially trained dogs on scent identification line-ups get sample from outdoor environment and they should choose the identical human scent from line of 6 samples (with 1 target and 5 deceptions). The experiment showed, that dogs are able to identify winter samples in all time periods but are not able to identify summer samples in whatever time period. Time periods do not show any diference. The biggest influence on quality change of individual human scent has intensity of sun radiation.

Thesis is concerned with the topic of evaluation the usefulness and utilitysation of hunting dogs in the current conditions of hunting practise. The goal of thesis is to collect data about the practise; how are hunting dogs used in the hunting locations, how are legislative measures and those of use of huntings dogs kept, during the hunting together and in the hunting locations as well. Then the thesis finds out which under which certain circumstensis the injuries, deaths and moratlity of huntings dogs are the most probable to occur. The fullfilment of the thesis goal is considered to bet he application of its findings into the common practise, as for to improve the protection elements of the measures for huntings dogs. To obtain the neccessary data for the analysis the questionnaire method was used. The analysis then was concerend with the legislation in the Slovak republic and in the Austria and after the acknowledgement of the differences and similarities the results was compared with the legislation of Czech Republic. The final phase is to evaluate the porcessed data and propose direct effective outputs for the practise.