Streptococcus agalactiae is an important zoonotic pathogen that affects milk production and quality and poses a threat to public health. Treatment of infections with this bacterium exploits antimicrobials, to which the resistance of S. agalactiae is a growing problem. Addressing the possibility of a correlation between this pathogen’s genetic factors for antimicrobial resistance and virulence, this study attempted to identify the relevant genes.

The aim of this study was to investigate vaginal cytology, haematological and hormonal values, the presence of bacteria in the vagina, and the relationship between these findings in different reproductive periods in cats. The study consisted of 30 healthy non-geriatric female cats that had reachedto puberty. The cats were divided into 3 equal groups (each having 10 cats) as estrus, anestrus and pregnant. The vaginal samples for microbiological and cytological examination andthe blood samples for hormonal analysis and hemogram were taken at the same time. A total of 100 vaginal epithelial cells were counted from the random areas of thevaginal cytology samples on the slide. The distributions of the percentages of the counted cells according to the groups were subtracted and compared. While there was no bacterial growth in 9 (30%) animals, bacterial growth was observed in 21 (70%) animals. There were no bacterial growth in 3 (30%), 4 (40%) and 2 (20%) animals inestrus, pregnant and anestrus groups, respectively. Estradiol (E2) level (42.64 ± 10.62 pg/ml) in estrus animals was significantly higher (P<0.001) than E2 level in pregnant and an estrus animals. The progesterone (P4) level of the pregnant group (12.22±9.35 ng/ml) was higher (P<0.001) than the P4 levels of the anestrus (0.84±0.25 ng/ml) and the estrus group (0.58±0.28 ng/ml), while the P4 levels of the estrus and the anestrus groups were similar. Significant differences were detected only in MCV, MCH and MCHC, within 19 blood parameters. MCV values were found to be lower in estrus animals (45.68±3.75femtoliter) than only in pregnant (51.21±4.99femtoliter) animals (P=0.007). The difference in MCH values between the estrus group (14.37±0.84 pg) and the pregnant group (15.62 ± 1.18 pg) (P=0.003) and the difference in MCHC values between the pregnant group (30.66±1.17 g/dl) and the anestrus group (32.42±1.04 g/dl) (P<0.001) were statistically significant. The presented results may help in the planning of future studies and the comparison of the obtained values.

This sectional study aims to collect data about feeding practices for pace horses in the Aegean and Marmara regions of Turkey. For this purpose, a questionnaire consisting of 69 free text and multiple-choice questions was developed. The questionnaire was implemented on 29-31 August 2014 by personal interviews and was online on social media for ten months. The questionnaire comprised sections on breeder demographic information, farm condition, feeding habit, and nutritional disease. Fifty volunteer horse owners who had a total of 271 horses have participated in the study. Evaluation of the results focused on nutrition practices. Unfortunately, 46% of the respondents were not rasping their horses’ teeth, and an important part of them was not using supplementary oil (78%) or feed additives (84%). Drinking water after exercise (74%) as well as rotten, mouldy, and bacterially contaminated feed (72%) were reported as the most important colic reason by the responders. Based on the results of our study, educational initiatives are needed to inform pace horse owners about appropriate nutrition and related diseases to increase the pace horse race performance.

In the present multidisciplinary study, the researchers on a field trial performed a Social Network approach and a group of 9 calves (3 males/6 females) aged 10 to 16 weeks. A 24 hours digital camera was used for location registration (X-Y position) and interactions on each calf, both individually and collectively. Based on the simple methodology nearest neighbor matrix positive and negative associations were analyzed. The field study lasted 4 weeks and the maximum interaction day was chosen, when individual calf activity was high. To those of 9 calves solely no 2 was infected with giardiasis on the first week, whereas calves with no:2, 7, and 8 were also infected on the second week. No: 4 and 6 were also infected with a total of 5 calves on the third week. This was followed by the final 6 calves in total infected. During the observation period, both by investigators and camera records, infected calf 2 was in close contact with no: 8 (at morning observation) and a slight degree of contact with no: 3 and 4 which were detected with giardiasis on the third and fourt weeks, respectively. Due to close contact with no: 8, infection was determined on the second week, earlier than others (except no: 7). Calves with no: 1 and 5 were never infected nor determined by PCR, fecal smear, or rapid diagnostic test kits throughout the study. In conclusion, the present authors suggested that social networking might be an important predisposing factor for giardiasis infection among calves.

This study was carried out in order to examine a total of 40 drinking water samples taken from 20 locations selected from Mardin and Van provinces in terms of physical properties, heavy metal and mineral contents and to evaluate the quality of drinking water in accordance with the results obtained. Among the ion and mineral analyses of the samples, arsenic, copper, boron, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, lead, selenium and zinc analyses were made with Inductively Coupled Plasma and Mass Spectrometer, and magnesium analyses were made with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer. Fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, bromide, sulfate and phosphate analyses were also performed by Dionex ion chromatography. Conductivity, pH, ORP, TDS and minimum salt analyses were performed with the Myron L device. As a result of the study, the difference between the fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, bromide, boron, cadmium, cobalt, zinc, conductivity, TDS, ORP and temperature values of the water samples of the two provinces was found to be significant. In addition, drinking water containing heavy metals was found to be above the limit values set by the Regulation on Water Intended for Human Consumption, nickel was detected in water samples taken from Van, and phosphate was not detected in samples taken from Mardin. The remarkable issues in water samples taken from 40 different locations in two provinces are presented in articles and it has been emphasized that it is important for the people living in this region to present the detected defects to local governments, environmental and public health units and to eliminate the defects.

Present research was conducted at the University of Aydin Adnan Menderes, Faculty of Veterinary. In a total of 10 cats with pruritic dermatoses were allocated, classified [Feline atopic skin syndrome (FaSs)] and adapted to the retrospective case controlled study on the basis of Polycheck in vitro Allergy Test, clinical signs, dermatoscopic and cytological examination. No prior drug prescription, nor immunosuppressive treatment were evident, which was an inclusion criteria. Complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and endocrine panels were all deemed available on days 0 and 21 for all cats involved. The Feline Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (FeDESI) and a 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) were deemed available as relevant prognostic parameters. A three strain invoving soil-based probiotic used via rectal route significantly decreased FEDESI and VAS pruritus scores after 10 days of rectal use. Pre-treament day 0 FEDESI scores (median ± SD) (106.3 ± 41.38), were significantly higher than scores on day 10 (15.3 ± 10.53) switching the severity of the disease to mild status in all cases. Furthermore, day 0 VAS pruritus scores were 7.4 ± 1.78 (mean ± SD) (prior to treatment), whereas owner VAS pruritus score was decreased to 1.3 ± 1.06 (mean ± SD) significantly (p=0.005). It should not be unwise to draw preliminary conclusion that 3 chained soil-based Bacillus probiotic was capable of short term cure for FaSs. Bacillus probiotics with safety usage should be added to therapeutical armamentarium of FaSs.