Assoc. Prof. MVDr. Michal CRHA, Ph.D.
MVDr. Dagmar BŘÍNEK KOLAŘOVÁ
MVDr. Marie GOLIS, Ph.D.
MVDr. Robert JUST
MVDr. Mgr. Kateřina CHVÁTALOVÁ, Ph.D.
MVDr. Klára CHYLKOVÁ
MVDr. Natálie LUKÁŠOVÁ
MVDr. Pavel SCHÁNILEC, Ph.D.
MVDr. Barbora ŠENKYŘÍKOVÁ, Ph.D.
MVDr. Zita Vašáková FILIPEJOVÁ, Ph.D.
MVDr. Miloš VÁVRA, Ph.D.
MVDr. Petra ŠTOLOVÁ
Vendula BUČKOVÁ
Michaela CRHOVÁ
Michaela KLENOVSKÁ
Kateřina SLEZÁKOVÁ
Alena ŠENKÝŘOVÁ
Eva ŠMAHELOVÁ
Among the most important personalities and representatives of veterinary internal medicine was Professor František Král, a prominent internist and dermatologist who achieved worldwide fame, especially after he emigrated to the USA in 1948. Born in 1892 in Albrechtice nad Vltavou in South Bohemia, he studied veterinary medicine in Vienna, where he became an assistant at the Institute of Horseshoeing. From the foundation of the First Internal Medicine Clinic in Brno, he was its first head. He is considered the founder of veterinary dermatology, not only in our country but also worldwide. He published several books and, as a professor at the University of Philadelphia Veterinary School, he founded the American Association of Veterinary Dermatologists and became its first and later honorary president. Although invited to lecture all over the world, he did not receive recognition for his work in his native country during his lifetime. Professor Jaroslav Konrád was another important personality in Czech veterinary medicine, whose life is closely connected with the First Internal Medicine Clinic. He was born in 1926 in Lutová and, like Prof. Král, was also a native of South Bohemia. He graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1950. From 1966 until 1990, he served as the head of the First Internal Medicine Clinic. In his work, he primarily focused on the diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of diseases in fur animals. He authored several monographs and international textbooks, earning recognition as an internationally renowned figure in veterinary medicine. From 1990 to 1994, he served as the first rector after the restoration of democracy in our country. He played a key role in the establishment of a multi-faculty college, which eventually attained university status.
Among other personalities, we cannot fail to mention Professor Karel Šobra, who headed the clinic from 1948 to 1964, and Associate Professor Martin Brož, who was in charge of the department from 1964 to 1966. Among our teachers and important representatives of veterinary medicine in ungulates is also Professor Josef Zakopal, who led the First Internal Medicine Clinic from 1990 to 1993. Associate Professor Stanislav Husák, a modest person and an excellent diagnostician, is considered one of the most outstanding internists.
The First Internal Medicine Clinic was established at the same time as our training school, and following the Viennese model, it was oriented towards the teaching of diagnosis and therapy of internal diseases of artiodactyls, carnivores, rodents, and poultry. Diseases of the skin and skin derivatives, as well as infections of the target group of animals, were also addressed. Professor František Král was the first head of the clinic from its foundation through the period of occupation until 1948. After his emigration, Professor Karel Šobra took over as the head of the First Internal Medicine Clinic. From 1964 to 1966, the management was entrusted to Assoc. Prof. Martin Brož. In its history, the clinic never suffered from a shortage of outpatients or inpatients, who were widely utilized in practical teaching. In the 1950s-60s, clinical propaedeutics was separated as a distinct discipline, and a separate Department of Poultry Diseases was established. Its first head was Prof. Bedřich Klimeš. From October 1966 until 1990, Prof. Jaroslav Konrád served as the head of the First Internal Medicine Clinic. In the 1970s and 1980s, the First Internal Medicine Clinic was part of the Department of Diagnosis, Therapy, and Prevention, which was headed by Prof. Přemysl Jagoš. During this period, the focus on pet animals was overshadowed by the medicine of farm animals. A breakthrough occurred after 1989 when the clinic regained its independence. In 1990, when Prof. Konrád became the first post-revolutionary rector of our university, Prof. Josef Zakopal was chosen as the head of the First Internal Medicine Clinic. After 1999, the organizational structure of the clinics was changed according to the type of animals.
For the professional and breeding public, the department offers general outpatient clinics for internal diseases, dermatology, gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, cardiology, pulmonology, nephrology and urology, neurology and behavioural disorders, oncology, and endocrinology. The department includes two inpatient units for dogs, one inpatient unit for cats (equipped with feline pheromones), and a separate outpatient clinic and isolation ward for animals suspected of or suffering from infections. These facilities are used for the treatment of patients whose condition does not allow treatment in a home environment or outpatient setting and who require therapy for several days. The main activity of doctors in the hospital is to stabilize patients (using infusion therapy and the administration of drugs intravenously or by other means), monitor them, and diagnose their illnesses, which can then be addressed by specific procedures recommended by individual specialists.
It provides standard veterinary services for dogs and cats to the breeding public. In addition to the treatment of common diseases, it carries out preventive examinations, vaccination of dogs and cats, examination of animals before shows, competitions, or trips abroad, blood sampling for the determination of antibodies against rabies, examination of animals that have injured humans, chipping for unmistakable identification of animals, including the issuance of Europass. In the outpatient clinic, we provide consultation and sale of products against external parasites and for preventive deworming of dogs and cats. For cat owners, we offer testing of animals for the feline leukaemia virus complex (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Another offer is a special consulting activity for ageing and elderly animals, known as the senior program. The senior program is mainly designed for dogs and cats in higher age categories. This includes clinical examinations, haematological and biochemical blood tests, and urine tests. Through these tests, we can detect some diseases before the onset of clinical signs (e.g., liver disease, kidney failure). This can lead to earlier initiation of treatment and thus increase the chance of cure and improve prognosis. To support these preventive examinations, we offer this package at a discounted price.
Diseases of the skin and skin derivatives (ears, claws, nasal sponge, pads, special glands) are increasingly common health problems in dogs and cats nowadays, and they are not just cosmetic issues. Many skin diseases occur independently, but some can also be manifestations of internal diseases. The Dermatology Outpatient Clinic provides basic dermatological examinations (skin scrapings, trichoscopy, cytological examination), Wood's lamp examination for the presence of fungi, fungal and bacterial culture (including sensitivity testing), fine needle aspiration biopsy, skin biopsy, and histopathological examination of biopsy specimens, as well as other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In patients with suspected allergies (hypersensitivity), we perform intradermal allergy tests or other diagnostic procedures followed by counselling and desensitization therapy. We also perform examinations and treatments of all skin derivatives, including otoscopic or endoscopic examination of the auricles and external ear canals. The aforementioned specialization is conducted by MVDr. Kateřina Chvátalová, Ph.D., and MVDr. Barbora Šenkyříková, Ph.D.
Diseases of the digestive system are among the most common in dog and cat medicine. Within this speciality, we offer in-depth diagnostics of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas using modern laboratory and imaging technology. Cytological examination of rectal mucosal swabs, bacteriological examination of rectal swabs, parasitological examination of faeces, and, in indicated cases, occult (hidden) bleeding tests, determination of TLI (trypsin and trypsinogen in serum), cPL and fPL (specific canine and feline pancreatic lipase), diagnosis of Helicobacter spp. (urease test through the laboratory, histological examination of gastric mucosal biopsies), and others are an integral part of the overall examination. The use of endoscopic techniques is a standard part of the diagnosis and therapy of chronic diseases of the alimentary canal. With modern endoscopic equipment (including rigid fibroscopes by Storz and flexible fibroscopes and video endoscopes by Olympus), we are able to establish a final diagnosis for numerous diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, proximal part of the jejunum, colon, or ileum. In addition to visual assessment, the diagnosis is based on histopathological or cytological examination of biopsy specimens and laboratory examination of the collected fluids. The endoscopic technique also allows for the removal of foreign bodies, dilation of strictures (e.g., oesophagus, rectum), removal of polyps, and stopping bleeding. For patients who do not or cannot accept food, we can percutaneously insert a permanent probe, i.e., on the skin surface (from the oesophagus - oesophagostomy, from the stomach - gastrostomy), as part of nutritional support. Endoscopy of the respiratory and urinary tract is described for the respective specialities. If liver disease is suspected, in addition to the basic panel of examinations, we are able to provide pre- and postprandial bile acid levels, ammonia levels, coagulation tests, and, in collaboration with the Department of Imaging Methods, ultrasonography including liver biopsy. MVDr. Miloš Vávra, Ph.D. and MVDr. Dagmar Břínek Kolářová are both engaged in digestive tract diseases and endoscopy in its entirety.
The main activities are the diagnosis and therapy of patients with valvular heart defects, dilated cardiomyopathy, and heart rhythm disorders, as well as care for patients with severe forms of heart failure, for whom we offer hospitalization facilities including an Intensive Care Unit. We have two diagnostic veterinary ECGs (Seiva and Cardy) with stress equipment to examine the surface electrical potentials of the heart, devices for non-invasive blood pressure measurement (oscillometry and Doppler), as well as a Holter monitor (Mortara) for long-term monitoring of the heart (24 hours). There is also a mid- to high-end ultrasound machine (Aloka Prosound CV 7) that allows examination of the heart and chest with the following imaging options: M-mode, two-dimensional examination, colour mapping, spectral Doppler, tissue Doppler, contrast echocardiography, and stress echocardiography. We are also able to examine other types of patients such as ferrets, chinchillas, guinea pigs, etc., at the Clinic for Birds, Reptiles and Small Mammals. Cardiology also provides pre-operative and preventive cardiac examinations. In collaboration with the Department of Imaging Methods, we also offer radiological examinations for both inpatients and outpatients. Additionally, we collaborate with the Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, which performs surgical interventions for patients with congenital heart defects (persistent ductus arteriosus, stenosis, etc.). Among the endoscopic diagnostic methods, we carry out rhinoscopy, nasopharyngoscopy, and laryngoscopy, including assessment of functional changes of the larynx, and tracheobronchoscopy with sampling (biopsy, bronchoalveolar lavage). The activities of this outpatient clinic are provided by MVDr. Zita Vašáková (Filipejová), Ph.D., and MVDr. Robert Just. Endoscopy of the respiratory tract is performed by MVDr. Miloš Vávra, Ph.D.
Within this specialization, we offer in-depth diagnostics of kidney and urinary tract diseases, including a comprehensive clinical examination focusing on the urinary system, haematological and biochemical blood tests, complete urine analysis and examination of urinary sediment, including urine culture and other diagnostics, such as mediated mineralogical examination of urinary stones. We work closely with other departments for radiological and ultrasonographic diagnostics, as well as with other specialities, such as in the management of patients with canine prostate disease. We are able to perform transurethral cystoscopy in all females and males weighing more than 5 kg. A significant part of our professional cooperation consists of targeted therapy or stabilization of acute patients in the hospital. We are also involved in diet therapy, including dietary urinary stone dissolution. A special chapter is the support program for the elderly – see General Outpatient Clinic of Internal Diseases. Patients with urinary tract disorders are treated by MVDr. Robert Just.
The core activities include neurological examinations focused on patients with central and peripheral nervous system disorders and behavioural disorders in dogs and cats. This includes diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases of the nervous system (e.g., borreliosis, tick-borne meningoencephalitis, anaplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, neosporiasis, and others), epilepsy, disorders of consciousness, diagnosis of diseases of the inner and middle ear (including deafness examination, known as BAEP), cerebellum (disorders of coordination of movement and balance, weakness), etc. We also deal with the diagnosis and therapy of peripheral nerve and muscle diseases (paralysis and paralysis of individual body parts or total paralysis), and diagnosis of intervertebral disc diseases, with surgical treatment performed in a specialized surgical department. The diagnostics include the collection and examination of cerebrospinal fluid, including quantitative and qualitative cytology and biochemical examination in cooperation with the Small Animal Clinical Laboratory. The neurology unit is equipped with an electromyograph (two-channel EMG Keypoint Portable EMG/EP). Many examinations are performed in cooperation with the Department of Imaging Methods, mainly X-ray diagnostics and computed tomography (CT). Patients with neurological problems and behavioural disorders are under the professional care of MVDr. Pavel Schánilec, Ph.D., and MVDr. Viktor Paluš, Dipl. ECVN.
The incidence of cancer in dogs and cats is increasing to the extent that it has become necessary to address this issue separately. Within this specialization, we perform diagnostics and management of oncological and haematological diseases (e.g., malignant lymphoma, leukaemia), as well as solid tumours. This includes sampling by non-aspiration and aspiration fine-needle biopsy, cytological examination of lymph nodes or other tissues, aspiration biopsy of bone marrow, immunophenotyping by flow cytometry (in cooperation with VÚVeL Brno, v.v.i), and immunohistochemistry (in cooperation with the Department of Pathological Morphology, FVM VETUNI). The results of these examinations help determine the type of hematopoietic malignancy and the distribution of the disease in the body, which determines the prognosis. At the clinic, the possibilities of chemotherapy have been developed by MVDr. Marie Golis, Ph.D.
Although hormonal disorders are not among the most common diseases of small animals, they have been encountered more frequently in clinical practice recently. The most common hormonal disorders in dogs and cats include diabetes mellitus, decreased or increased thyroid function (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism), and chronic excess or deficiency of corticoid hormones (Cushing's syndrome and Addison's disease). Diagnosis of endocrine diseases is often complicated and expensive. In addition to a thorough history obtained from the owner and a clinical examination, we perform blood draws for specific endocrinological tests (determination of thyroid hormones T4 and TSH using dog-specific kits, determination of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and basal cortisol concentration), determination of the cortisol/creatinine ratio in urine for the diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's syndrome), dynamic functional tests for the diagnosis of decreased (Addison's disease) or increased (Cushing's syndrome) production of adrenal hormones (ACTH stimulation test, dexamethasone suppression test), and blood sampling for the determination of fructosamine concentration for the diagnosis of diabetes in cats. The examination is particularly useful for distinguishing diabetes from stress hyperglycaemia, which is very common in cats. We cooperate with a specialized dermatology clinic in the diagnosis, and, in questionable cases, we offer skin biopsy to confirm endocrine disease as the cause of the skin disease. In collaboration with the Department of Imaging Methods and the Department of Surgery, we can complement the diagnosis with ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) in indicated cases. However, for the latter, general anaesthesia must be considered. In collaboration with the Department of Reproduction, we treat sexual hormone disorders and cases of transient diabetes. Therapy and long-term management of individual endocrinological diseases are provided by MVDr. Kateřina Chvátalová, Ph.D., and MVDr. Barbora Šenkyříková, Ph.D.
