Ear cropping and tail docking in domestic dogs are complex issues involving economic, aesthetic, welfare and moral considerations. The protagonists of tail docking claim that tails have to be docked in order to prevent tail-tip injuries of working dogs in particular hunting dogs in the world and tails could cause problems through wagging in households. In Turkey, dog owners or breeders especially those with Turkish Kangal Shepherd dogs have the ears of their dogs cropped to prevent the injuries due to the fights with wolves and other dogs. Additionally, it is believed that injuries from the thorny iron leash are prevented and a better hearing capacity is warranted next to a better traditional aesthetic appearance. There is scientific evidence that dogs need their tails for balance and support, also the ear is known to have important functions in the dog's body as anatomical and physiological and there is no rational reason to support the cropping of a dog's ears or docking of their tail. Although both practices are forbidden by law in Turkey, ear cropping and tail docking are still practiced by a few veterinarians and breeders. In this study, the physiological and behavioural responses caused by tail docking and ear cropping in dogs are affirmed in terms of scientific evidence and rationale in evaluating animal welfare and laws in Europe and Turkey.

Objective: To report a case of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) following bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 76-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia. Pain and hematoma were detected in his left leg and hip 4 days after bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy. A pelvic arteriography was performed, and a diagnosis of AVF was made. Conclusion: This case shows that clinicians should be aware of AVF, especially in cases with refractory bleeding after bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy despite normal blood coagulation parameters.

We examined attitudes toward nonhuman animal welfare and rights and career aspira tions in Australian and Turkish veterinary students. A representative university was selected in each country, with 190 first-and third-year students sampled in each. Survey questions addressed attitudes toward nonhuman animal welfare/rights, and intended career. Australian and Turkish students were predominately female and male, respectively, but attitudes were similar between sexes. Australian students rated keeping companion animals and hormonal desexing more acceptable, and food and rest deprivation, pain during slaughter, and using animals in experiments less acceptable than Turkish students. Keeping companion animals related strongly with students' moral values, their decision to study veterinary medicine, and program satisfaction.More Australian than Turkish students wanted to enter clinical practice. Thus veteri nary students of these two culturally contrasting countries demonstrated both differences and universalities, such as companion animal keeping, which influenced their attitudes toward animals and career aspirations.

Background. There are no studies investigating the relationship between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphisms and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Aim. The purpose of this study is to elucidate whether eNOS gene polymorphisms (G894T and T-786C) play a role in the development of type-2 HRS. Methods. This study was carried out in a group of 92 patients with cirrhosis (44 patients with type-2 HRS and 48 without HRS) and 50 healthy controls. Polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and melting curve analysis. Results. We did not find any significant difference in allele and genotype distributions of the eNOS -T-786C polymorphism among the groups (p = 0.440). However, the frequency of GT (40.9%) and TT (13.6%) genotypes and mutant allele T (34.1%) for the eNOS G894T polymorphism were significantly higher (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, resp.) in the HRS group than in both the stable cirrhosis (14.6%, 4.2%, and 11.5%, resp.) and the control (22.0%, 2.0%, and 13.0%, resp.) groups. Conclusion. The occurrence of mutant genotypes (GT/TT) and mutant allele T in eNOS -G894T polymorphisms should be considered as a potential risk factor in cirrhotic patients with HRS.

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