Skurková Lenka, DVM, PhD

Research/art/teacher profile

Date of last update: 05.02.2026

I. Basic information
I.1 Surname
Skurková
I.2 Given name
Lenka
I.3 Degrees
DVM, PhD
I.4 Year of birth
1982
I.5 Name of the workplace
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Department of Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare
I.6 Address of the workplace
Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
I.7 Position
lecturer
I.8 E-mail address lenka.skurkova@uvlf.sk
I.9 University staff register / partner university profile https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/26620
I.11 ORCID iD 0000-0002-8259-7765
II. Higher education and further qualification growth
InstitutionYearStudy field and programme
Second degree higher education
University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice
2006
veterinárske lekárstvo
Third degree higher education
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
2010
III. Current and previous employment
OccupationInstitutionYear
assistant professor
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
2022 – 2025
assistant professor
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
2016 – 2021
self-employed person
-
2011 – 2016
IV. Development of pedagogical, professional, language, digital and other skills
ActivityInstitutionYear
CIARL 2nd edition: Contemporary Issues in Animal Rights Law
International Centre for Animal Rights and Ethics
2026
Summer School SAWE (School of Animal Welfare and Ethics) - Second Edition
Universita degli Studi di Milano, Italy
2025
Summer Course Bridging Animal Rights Theory and Practice
International Centre for Animal Rights and Ethics
2025
Summer School SAWE (School of Animal Welfare and Ethics)
Universita degli Studi di Milano, Italy
2024
Kurz vysokoškolskej pedagogiky
Prešovská univerzita a UVLF v Ke
2024
Euthanasia Reimagined: Joining the Good Death Revolution
RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education, AAVSB)
2022
Animal Welfare and Ethics Society - 2021 Virtual Conference AWES
University of Edinburgh: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
2021
Seminar Schrodinger´s Possum: How animals experience and understand death
LSE: The London School of Economics and Political Science
2021
Conference Teaching life skills in medical education
SOFTVETS (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia)
2021
english language exam for teachers
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
2019
english course, level B1
Academy of Education
2008
Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare (The Socrates/Erasmus IP Course))
Veterinary Faculty, University of Helsinky
2004
V. Overview of activities within the teaching career at the university

Academic year: 2026/2027

V.1. Overview of taught profile courses

Profile courseStudy programmeDegreeStudy field
Ethology and behavior problems of dogs
Cynology – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of companion animals I.
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of production animals
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and domestification of animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and domestification of animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and domestification of animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and domestification of animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine

V.2. Responsibility for the delivery, development and quality assurance of study programmes

No records yet.

V.3. Responsibility for the development and quality of habilitation and inauguration fields

No records yet.

V.4. Overview of supervised theses

BachelorMasterDoctoral
Currently supervised theses120
Defended theses670

V.5. Overview of other taught courses

CourseStudy programmeDegreeStudy field
Animal ethology
Food hygiene – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal ethology
Food hygiene – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics
Food hygiene – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics and communication
Food hygiene – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavior problems of dogs
Cynology – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavior problems of dogs
Cynology – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavior problems of dogs
Cynology – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal hygiene, welfare and behaviour of animals
Joint Bachelor Degree in Animal Science (joint study programme with Nord University) – full-time study, English language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Dogfitness
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Physiotherapy of animals
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of production animals
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of companion animals I.
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Special methods of animal rehabilitation
Animal Welfare and Protection – full-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Dogfitness
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Physiotherapy of animals
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of companion animals I.
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Welfare and ethology of companion animals I.
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Special methods of animal rehabilitation
Animal Welfare and Protection – part-time study, Slovak language
II.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
Veterinary nurse – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
Veterinary nurse – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
Veterinary nurse – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
Veterinary nurse – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
veterinary nurse – full-time study, English language
I.
Ethology and behavioral disorders of animals
veterinary nurse – full-time study, English language
I.
Animal ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Behaviour disorders in domestic animals
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Behaviour disorders in domestic animals
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Clinical ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics and communication
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, English language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Animal ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Clinical ethology
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Behavioural disorders in pets
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Professional ethics and communication
General Veterinary Medicine – full-time study, Slovak language
I. + II.
Veterinary Medicine
Physioterapy
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Physioterapy
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Behavioural disorders in animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Behavioural disorders in animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Animals and ethics
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Animals and ethics
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – full-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Physioterapy
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Physioterapy
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Behavioural disorders in animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Behavioural disorders in animals
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Animals and ethics
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
Animals and ethics
Human - Animal Relationship and Its Application in Canistherapy and Hippotherapy – part-time study, Slovak language
I.
Veterinary Medicine
VI. Overview of research/artistic/other outputs

The last six completed calendar years: 2020–2025. The current year is excluded.

VI.1. Overview of research/artistic/other outputs and citations

TotalOver the last six years
VI.1.1 Number of research/artistic/other outputs7823
VI.1.2 Number of outputs registered in Web of Science or Scopus1310
VI.1.3 Number of citations corresponding to research/artistic/other outputs13290
VI.1.4 Number of citations registered in Web of Science or Scopus12987
VI.1.5 Number of invited lectures at international and national level——

VI.2. The most significant research/artistic/other outputs

1.
MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - KMECOVÁ, Noema. Analysis of cortisol in dog hair - a potential biomarker of chronic stress: a review [Analýza kortizolu v psej srsti - potencionálny ukazovateľ chronického stresu]. In: Veterinární medicína. 2017. ISSN 0375-8427, Vol. 62, no. 7 (2017), p. 363-376. (2017: 0.434 - IF, 46 - H-index, 0.764 - IF 5y, 0.28 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q4 - JCR Best Q, 0.178 - ABDC).
2.
SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - HLUCHÝ, Marián - LACKOVÁ, Monika - MIHALOVÁ, Martina - LEDECKÝ, Valent. Relation of the Norberg angle and position of the femoral head centre to the dorsal acetabular edge in evaluation of canine hip dysplasia. In: Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology. 2010. ISSN 0932-0814, Vol. 23, č. 6 (2010), s. 433-438. (2010: 1.064 - IF, 42 - H-index, 1.218 - IF 5y, 0.876 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q2 - JCR Best Q, 0.246 - ABDC).
3.
KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - DEMEOVÁ, Alena - JAKUBA, Tomáš. Friendship or competition? Symmetry in social play within the two packs of German shepherd puppies. In: Animals. 2020. ISSN 2076-2615, Vol. 10, no. 9 (2020), art. no. 1627, p. [1-14]. (2020: 2.752 - IF, 34 - H-index, 2.942 - IF 5y, 0.584 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.459 - ABDC).
4.
GAJDOŠ KMECOVÁ, Noema - PEŤKOVÁ, Barbara - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MILLS, Daniel Simon. Are these cats playing? A closer look at social play in cats and proposal for a psychobiological approach and standard terminology. In: Frontiers in veterinary science. 2021. ISSN 2297-1769, Vol. 8, no. (2021), art. no. 712310, p. [1-14]. (2021: 3.471 - IF, 44 - H-index, 3.821 - IF 5y, 0.719 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.648 - ABDC).
5.
FLORIÁN, Martin - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - SLIVKOVÁ, Monika - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana. Decision-making and moral distress in veterinary practice: What can be done to optimize welfare within the veterinary profession? In: Journal of Veterinary Medical Education. 2024. ISSN 0748-321X, Vol. 51, no. 3 (2024), p. 292-301. (2024: 0.6 - IF, 47 - H-index, 1 - IF 5y, 0.473 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q3 - JCR Best Q, 0.169 - ABDC).

VI.3. The most significant research/artistic/other outputs over the last six years

1.
FLORIÁN, Martin - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - SLIVKOVÁ, Monika - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana. Decision-making and moral distress in veterinary practice: What can be done to optimize welfare within the veterinary profession? In: Journal of Veterinary Medical Education. 2024. ISSN 0748-321X, Vol. 51, no. 3 (2024), p. 292-301. (2024: 0.6 - IF, 47 - H-index, 1 - IF 5y, 0.473 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q3 - JCR Best Q, 0.169 - ABDC).
2.
GAJDOŠ KMECOVÁ, Noema - PEŤKOVÁ, Barbara - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MILLS, Daniel Simon. Are these cats playing? A closer look at social play in cats and proposal for a psychobiological approach and standard terminology. In: Frontiers in veterinary science. 2021. ISSN 2297-1769, Vol. 8, no. (2021), art. no. 712310, p. [1-14]. (2021: 3.471 - IF, 44 - H-index, 3.821 - IF 5y, 0.719 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.648 - ABDC).
3.
KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - DEMEOVÁ, Alena - JAKUBA, Tomáš. Friendship or competition? Symmetry in social play within the two packs of German shepherd puppies. In: Animals. 2020. ISSN 2076-2615, Vol. 10, no. 9 (2020), art. no. 1627, p. [1-14]. (2020: 2.752 - IF, 34 - H-index, 2.942 - IF 5y, 0.584 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.459 - ABDC).
4.
TAKÁČOVÁ, Daniela - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - KOTTFEROVÁ, Lucia - PACKOVÁ, Anna - VAJÁNYI, Dávid - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana. Dog tethering in Slovakia: legal, ethical and behavioral aspects and dog welfare implications. In: Animals. 2021. ISSN 2076-2615, Vol. 11, no. 3 (2021), art. no. 594, p. [1-12]. (2021: 3.231 - IF, 43 - H-index, 3.312 - IF 5y, 0.61 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.459 - ABDC).
5.
VAJÁNYI, Dávid - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - PEŤKOVÁ, Barbara - KOTTFEROVÁ, Lucia - KASIČOVÁ, Zuzana - SIMANOVÁ, Veronika - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana. Ageing canine companions: Most common manifestations and the impact of selected factors. In: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 2024. ISSN 0168-1591, Vol. 271, no. (2024), art. no. 106164, p. [1-7]. (2024: 2 - IF, 139 - H-index, 2.4 - IF 5y, 0.625 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q2 - JCR Best Q, 0.458 - ABDC).

VI.4. The most significant citations corresponding to research/artistic/other outputs

1.
LELLÁKOVÁ, Monika - PAVĽAK, Alexander - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - FLORIÁN, Martin - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - KOTTFEROVÁ, Lucia - TAKÁČOVÁ, Daniela - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana. Monitoring blinks and eyelid twitches in horses to assess stress during the samples collection process. In: Journal of applied animal welfare science. 2023. ISSN 1088-8705, Vol. 26, no. 4 (2023), p. 530-539. (2023: 1.4 - IF, 1.6 - IF 5y, 0.372 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q2 - JCR Best Q, 0.308 - ABDC).
[1] BUKHARI, Syed S.U.H. - PARKES, Rebecca S.V. Assessing the impact of draught load pulling on welfare in equids. In Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2023-01-01, 10, pp. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1214015.
2.
KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - DEMEOVÁ, Alena - JAKUBA, Tomáš. Friendship or competition? Symmetry in social play within the two packs of German shepherd puppies. In: Animals. 2020. ISSN 2076-2615, Vol. 10, no. 9 (2020), art. no. 1627, p. [1-14]. (2020: 2.752 - IF, 34 - H-index, 2.942 - IF 5y, 0.584 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.459 - ABDC).
[1] IKI, Sakumi - HASEGAWA, Toshikazu. Face-to-face configuration in Japanese macaques functions as a platform to establish mutual engagement in social play. In Animal Cognition. ISSN 14359448, 2021-11-01, 24, 6, pp. 1179-1189.
3.
KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - DEMEOVÁ, Alena - JAKUBA, Tomáš. Friendship or competition? Symmetry in social play within the two packs of German shepherd puppies. In: Animals. 2020. ISSN 2076-2615, Vol. 10, no. 9 (2020), art. no. 1627, p. [1-14]. (2020: 2.752 - IF, 34 - H-index, 2.942 - IF 5y, 0.584 - SJR, Q1 - SJR Best Q, Q1 - JCR Best Q, 0.459 - ABDC).
[1] NOLFO, Andrea Paolo - CASETTA, Grazia - PALAGI, Elisabetta. Play fighting in wild spotted hyaenas: like a bridge over the troubled water of a hierarchical society. In Animal Behaviour. ISSN 00033472, 2021-10-01, 180, pp. 363-373.
4.
MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - KMECOVÁ, Noema. Analysis of cortisol in dog hair - a potential biomarker of chronic stress: a review [Analýza kortizolu v psej srsti - potencionálny ukazovateľ chronického stresu]. In: Veterinární medicína. 2017. ISSN 0375-8427, Vol. 62, no. 7 (2017), p. 363-376. (2017: 0.434 - IF, 46 - H-index, 0.764 - IF 5y, 0.28 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q4 - JCR Best Q, 0.178 - ABDC).
[1] VAN DER LAAN, Janneke Elisabeth - VINKE, Claudia Maureen - ARNDT, Saskia Stefanie. Evaluation of hair cortisol as an indicator of long-term stress responses in dogs in an animal shelter and after subsequent adoption. In SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 2022, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. ISSN 2045-2322. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09140-w.
5.
MESARČOVÁ, Lýdia - KOTTFEROVÁ, Jana - SKURKOVÁ, Lenka - LEŠKOVÁ, Lenka - KMECOVÁ, Noema. Analysis of cortisol in dog hair - a potential biomarker of chronic stress: a review [Analýza kortizolu v psej srsti - potencionálny ukazovateľ chronického stresu]. In: Veterinární medicína. 2017. ISSN 0375-8427, Vol. 62, no. 7 (2017), p. 363-376. (2017: 0.434 - IF, 46 - H-index, 0.764 - IF 5y, 0.28 - SJR, Q2 - SJR Best Q, Q4 - JCR Best Q, 0.178 - ABDC).
[1] CLARK, Stephanie D. - SMIDT, Jessica M. - BAUER, Brent A. Therapy Dogs' and Handlers' Behavior and Salivary Cortisol During Initial Visits in a Complex Medical Institution: A Pilot Study. In FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE, 2020, vol. 7, no., pp.

VI.5. Participation in conducting or leading the most important projects over the last six years

1.
Cultural and educational grant agency (Ministry of education, science, research and sport of the Slovak Republic) 009UVLF-4/2022 – Transmission of research results to the innovation of teaching the study subject Animal Ethology.. Project period: 2022–2024.
2.
Cultural and educational grant agency (Ministry of education, science, research and sport of the Slovak Republic) 002UVLF-4/2019 – Modernizácia edukácie profesijnej etiky a zlepšovanie jemných zručností študentov vo veterinárnej profesii. Project period: 2019–2021.
3.
Scientific grant agency (Ministry of education, science, research and sport of the Slovak Republic) 1/0038/24 – Research and analysis of alterations of physiological, behavioural and cognitive parameters in geriatric dogs and their influence on the overall quality of life. Project period: 2024–2027.
4.
Cultural and educational grant agency (Ministry of education, science, research and sport of the Slovak Republic) 004UVLF-4/2025 – Creation of a knowledge base for the study of veterinary nurses in the field of ethology and ethical approach to animal patients. Project period: 2025–2027.
VII. Overview of organizational experience related to higher education and research/artistic/other activities
Position / activityInstitutionYear
society member
Czech and Slovak ethological society
2023 – 2026
chamber member
Chamber of Veterinary Doctors in the Slovak Republic
2022 – 2026
committee member
Commission for the creation, modification and periodic evaluation of s. p. cynology, man-animal relationship and its use in canistherapy and hippotherapy and animal welfare and protection
2021 – 2026
VIII. Overview of international mobilities and visits oriented on education and research/artistic/other activities in the given field of study
InstitutionAddressMobility scheme, employment contract, otherYear
University of Veterinary Sciences Brno
Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
Ceepus Exchange Programme
2005 – 2005
IX. Other relevant facts

No records yet.