Introduction:
Activities within the scope of veterinary treatment are commonly associated with help for animals in the vicinity of man, and free living animals. It is frequently forgotten that veterinary medicine covers also qualified activities in the service of public health. People should be aware that veterinary measures (vaccinations, deworming, protection against insects) are a form of health care not only for animals but also for humans.

Objective:
The objective of the study was an analysis of awareness among dog owners concerning health risks resulting from having a dog at home, and observance of prophylactic veterinary procedures.

Material and Methods:
During the period 1 November 2011–29 February 2012, a survey was conducted which covered 300 dog owners from urban areas. The information collected by means of a questionnaire were subjected to statistical analysis using software Statistica 10. The non-parametric chi-square test was applied (p=0.05) for qualitative characteristics, with V Cramer’s coefficient to assess dependence.

Results:
The results obtained showed that females, more frequently than males, are concerned about the health of their dogs. Nearly 78% of respondents vaccinate their dog against rabies once a year, 61% – deworm their dog at least twice a year, and less than 4/5 of the respondents protect their dog against eco-parasites.

Conclusions:
The study showed that prophylactic veterinary procedures are a generally accepted and common form of zoonoses control; however, despite this fact, there is a need for the constant education of society in order to prevent diseases transmitted by domestic dogs