Faecal samples from 716 cats from Poland, were examined for lungworm larvae (Metastrongyloidea) by flotation, sedimentation and Baermann techniques between January 2016 and April 2019 year. In total, 1.1% (8/716; CI ± 95% 0.3-1.9) of cats shed lungworm larvae. In the animals examined, infections with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus predominated (7 positive samples), while larvae of Troglostrongylus brevior were detected in only one sample. These invasions were more prevalent in animals under 6 months of age (3.0%) (6/201; CI ± 95%; 0.6-5.4) than in those older than one year (0.4%) (2/515; CI ± 95% 0.0-0.9). Overall, a distinct seasonal pattern was apparent in the detection of infected cats, but annual volatility was not observed. A relatively large proportion of lungworm-infected cats (4 out of 8) had pulmonary syndromes, which indicates that these parasitic diseases should be considered in differential diagnosis of any inflammations of the respiratory system, especially in young animals.

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The comet assay method is a research technique for detecting damage to cellular DNA due to active physical or chemical agents. The comet assay is based on electrophoretic migration of genetic material contained in the cell’s nucleus. This research method is commonly used in many different fields, such as toxicology, environmental protection, and pharmacology. In recent years, the comet assay has attracted considerable attention from scientists studying the effects of harmful substances on the genetic material in the cell’s nucleus. The presence of pesticides in the environment is a threat to animals, because of the negative effects of pesticides on cells and their genetic material. Therefore, the aim of this paper, based on the available literature, was to describe the use of the comet assay in assessing the genotoxicity of pesticides to cells of aquatic organisms, as well as to describe the methodology and potential complications of this procedure.

Domestic dogs live in the same environment as their owners and are exposed to the same environmental risk factors. For this reason, these animals can serve as indicators of diseases affecting humans. According to epidemiological studies performed by the National Center for Poison Control (NAPCC) in the United States, dogs are a kind of indicator of human exposure to environmental toxins, such as insecticides and herbicides, because they respond to most poisonings analogously to humans. Pesticides, such as rodenticides, insecticides, molluscicides and herbicides, are the most common cause of poisoning in companion animals in Europe. In most species, pesticides are one of the main causes of poisoning. The incidence of pesticide poisoning is significantly dependent on the toxicity of commercial preparations. A ban on the use of

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