Fungal skin diseases are well-recognized diseases with public health implications. The study provides a comprehensive overview and aims to determine the rate of positive fungal cultures to identify the most common fungal species in guinea pigs and rabbits and to determine the rate of asymptomatic carriers in healthy pet animals. This knowledge is essential for understanding disease transmission dynamics and epidemiological situation problems. A total of 167 animals (64 rabbits and 103 guinea pigs) were investigated in this study. The fungi of the genus Penicillium, Rhizopus, Mucor, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were the most common in the examined animals, and they were isolated from 162 (97%) of the animals enrolled. No fungal growth was observed in 5 animals. In 15 cases (8.98%), we found pathogenic zoonotic dermatophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes), which caused several health problems in two humans in contact with affected animals. This study presents the prevalence of fungal flora in pet guinea pigs and rabbits in Slovakia.
Summary
In recent years, the demand for snakes imported from different countries around the world has increased in Slovakia. However, such snakes can be infected with a wide variety of parasites. We have been focused on monitoring the prevalence of parasitic helminths of snakes imported to Slovakia. From 2015 to 2020, 205 samples were collected. We examined faecal samples of 185 live snakes, and a parasitological autopsy was performed on 20 carcasses. Out of a total of 205 snakes, parasitic helminths were found in 44 individuals (21.46 %). Coprological examination of live snakes confirmed positivity for the presence of helminths in 38 snakes (20.54 %). Through parasitological autopsy of all the dead snakes, we found helminths or their eggs in 6 carcasses (30.00 %). The genera of helminths found in the positive snakes were: Ophiotaenia spp., Kapsulotaenia spp., Strongyloides spp., Rhabdias spp., Ophidascaris spp., Ascaridia spp., f. Heterakidae, Kalicephalus spp., Capillaria spp., order Oxyurida and stages of the plerocercoid of an unidentifi ed species of tapeworm in the subcutaneous tissue.
Long-term tethering of dogs, or their keeping under unsuitable conditions can result in issues related to changes in their behavior as they may not satisfy their basic needs of life. These needs are discussed in this paper, along with cases when dogs unnecessarily have to endure cruelty and pain. The unavoidable tethering of a dog must not cause trauma and must be arranged in a way that it guarantees physical comfort. Failure to meet the basic needs of an animal may result in manifestation of fear and subsequent aggressiveness. Owners of animals are responsible for their life and health, and their obligations include eliminating the possibility of them hurting themselves or other beings. The relevant adopted legislative provisions should provide protection to animals and be enforceable, which currently appears rather difficult. Controlling and observation of the legislative provisions related to the tethering of dogs raises some difficulties for animal protection inspectors. It is necessary to focus on the specificities of keeping conditions of various dog breeds and on their individual features. Based on research and the relevant Slovak legislative provisions, this paper discusses various views on the practice of tethering dogs from the point of view of public safety and the ethical consequences of permanent dog tethering. Data on dog tethering in Slovakia were evaluated based on a survey and Slovak legal rules governing this issue were analyzed along with various views of public safety and the ethical consequences of permanent dog tethering.
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