The Small Animal Clinic was formed in 2003. The closest organizational predecessor of the Clinic was established in 1999 through a major reorganization of clinical facilities at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (the original division of clinical workplaces by field focus was changed into a division by animal species). The clinic was created by merging the original internal clinic I with the Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology, and the newly formed unit included fields related to internal medicine, surgery and orthopaedics, radiology, and small animal reproduction.
The Small Animal Clinic currently represents one of the most state-of-the-art veterinary facilities for small animals in Europe and is divided into the Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics (headed by Prof. Nečas), the Department of Internal Medicine (headed by Asst. Prof. Crha), the Department of Imaging Methods (headed by Dr Proks), the Department of Reproduction (headed by Dr Vitásek) and the Department of Experimental Medicine (headed by Dr Lorenzova). In addition to human resources, state-of-the-art diagnostic technology and equipment significantly contribute to the quality of professional veterinary activities. As part of its professional activities, the department provides round-the-clock veterinary services to patients from all over the Czech Republic and, in selected specializations and procedures, also to patients from neighbouring countries. Around 10,000 patients are treated at the clinic every year and the number of hospitalized animals is also high. In addition to clinical practice and teaching, the department also provides advisory and consulting services for breeders and veterinarians in the Czech Republic. The clinic participates in grant projects. It actively participates in domestic and international congresses and conferences.
Teaching
The Small Animal Clinic provides courses in master’s degree programmes in Czech and English for students of both veterinary faculties. The traditional teaching of clinical courses: Injured Animals Care, General Surgery and Anaesthesiology, Imaging Diagnostics, Clinical Propaedeutics in Pet Animals, Small Animal Surgery and Orthopaedics, Internal Diseases of Dogs and Cats, Dogs and Cats Diseases, are followed by clinical practical training and skills training. As part of the curriculum, the department offers the following restrictive elective courses: Mini-invasive Surgery, Case Studies, Tomographic Imaging Methods, The Most Common Diseases of the Cardiovascular System, Electrocardiography and Echocardiography of Small Animals. The workplace started providing courses in the doctoral degree programme Dog, Cat, and Pet Diseases. The academic staff of the clinic is also substantially involved in teaching at the University of the Third Age in Man and Animal programme. As part of its creative activities, the clinic traditionally participates in IVA (Internal Education Agency) VETUNI Brno projects with the active involvement of both undergraduate and doctoral students.
Research
In addition to clinical research in pet medicine, the research activities of the Small Animal Clinic are focused primarily on experimental and applied research in the development and validation of new biomaterials and nanotechnologies applicable in reparative medicine. The clinic is involved in multidisciplinary teams and as such cooperates with leading experts from a number of academic and research organizations, e.g., MU Brno, VUT Brno, AS CR, Surgical Clinics of the University Hospital Brno, University Hospital in Prague, etc. The Centre for Excellent Research of the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) led by Prof. Nečas and Dr Proks carries out activities on the premises of the clinic.
The clinic staff participates in the project of the International Centre for Clinical Research – ICRC Brno (ICRC) led by Asst. Prof. Crha. The clinic’s participation in the contract research, whose aim is to test new materials and procedures on the animal model, is an important part of the clinic’s research. These experiments are mainly focused on improving the health and quality of human life. Examples of this collaboration are research partnerships with Synthesia, Ella-CS, ltd., the Swedish company Arcimboldo, and the Dutch company GATT Technologies.
Facilities and equipment
The Small Animal Clinic is located in the Pavilion of Small Animal Clinics and is the largest clinical department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine with more than 60 employees.
It is equipped with a modern reception for patients and veterinary general clinics (surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, and gynaecology) and specialized clinics – ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, cardiology, nephrology and urology, assisted reproduction, andrology, neurology, endocrinology, dermatology, oncology and haematology. The instrumentation for specialist diagnostics is an essential part of the clinic – X-ray, ECG, USG, EEG, EMG, arthroscopy, high-frequency sonography, and computer tomography. Since 2018, the workplace has also had the latest diagnostic equipment for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and now also modern analysers for rapid blood tests. The clinic has 9 operating theatres, of which 5 for septic and 4 for highly aseptic surgical procedures. The clinic includes a modernized intensive care unit, rehabilitation department and hospitalization facilities for patients. The capacity of hospitalization boxes is 77 places for dogs and 26 boxes for cats. In the basement of the clinic, there is a separate ward for patients suffering from infectious diseases or suspected of transmitting these diseases. Veterinary care is provided at the clinic continuously throughout the year, 24 hours a day. In the Pavilion of Small Animal Clinics, there is also an auditorium with a capacity of 220 seats with barrier-free access and modern projection technology. In addition to serving as a typical clinical auditorium, it is also regularly used for teaching the fundamental disciplines of other departments of the university. The Small Animal Clinic also has 6 seminar rooms with a capacity of 12–36 seats for students where clinical and demonstration classes take place. However, most practical seminars take place directly in general and specialized outpatient clinics during hospitalizations and in operating theatres.
Prominent professors in the history of the clinic
Prof. MVDr. František Král – a significant representative of internal medicine, founder of dermatology, between 1931–1933 rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Brno
Prof. MVDr. Karel Šobra – a prominent internist and long-time head of the clinic
Prof. MVDr. Alois Hanslian – a significant representative of oncology, between 1933–1935 the rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Brno
Prof. MVDr. Karel Pardubský – the founder of Czechoslovak veterinary surgery, between 1937–1939 rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Brno
Prof. MVDr. František Jurný – a prominent surgeon and author of essential textbooks on surgery, long-time head of the surgical clinic
Prof. MVDr. Emanuel Král – the founder of veterinary orthopaedics, significantly contributed to the establishment of the radiology department and completion of the surgical-orthopaedic pavilion.
Prof. MVDr. Jaroslav Konrád, D.Sc. – a long-time representative of internal medicine, between 1990-1994 rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Brno
Prof. MVDr. Ladislav Němeček, CSc. – significantly contributed to the development of veterinary anaesthesiology and dentistry, for many years he worked at the clinic as a professor emeritus.
Prof. MVDr. Miroslav Svoboda, CSc. – a representative of internal medicine of dogs and cats, the faculty dean between 2000 –2006,
Prof. MVDr. Alois Nečas, PhD, MBA – a prominent representative of veterinary orthopaedics and surgery, head of the Small Animal Clinic, vice-rector of the university and rector of the university from 2018.
Interesting facts
The Small Animal Clinic achieved great success in research this year thanks to the project ‘Healing of large bone, tendon and ligament defects using new biomaterials’. The researcher was Prof. Nečas. In acknowledgement of the excellent results of the project with the potential for wide application in relevant areas, this project was recommended by the Health Research Agency of the Czech Republic, and it was awarded the Prize of the Minister of Health for medical research and development.
Asst.Prof. MVDr. Michal Crha, PhD, FVM dean
