Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic and versatile pathogen that causes infections in both humans and animals. It is one of the ESKAPE pathogens, characterized by the ability to rapidly acquire resistance to antimicrobials. In recent years, multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) P. aeruginosa have been reported worldwide in humans and chickens. In poultry, P. aeruginosa is frequently isolated and spreads easily due to its multiple transmission routes and its ability to infect birds of all ages. As a zoonotic pathogen, it poses a risk to humans via the consumption of contaminated poultry products. This study aimed to isolate P. aeruginosa from a layer chicken flock in Türkiye and investigate its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biofilm formation ability. Isolation and identification were performed by conventional bacteriological analysis and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Following phenotypic AMR testing, biofilm formation was quantitatively analyzed, and eleven AMR genes were screened by PCR. The recovered P. aeruginosa isolate exhibited resistance to aztreonam, colistin, and meropenem, thereby meeting the criteria for MDR. It also tested positive for blaOXA and mcr-2 resistance genes and was defined as a weak biofilm producer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of blaOXA and mcr-2 genes co-existing in an MDR P. aeruginosa isolate recovered from a layer chicken flock in Türkiye. These findings highlight the potential risk posed by MDR and biofilm forming P. aeruginosa in poultry environments to both human and animal health.

Valproic acid (2-propyl valeric acid, VPA) is the drug of choice for the treatment of migraine, bipolar disorder, and epileptic disorders in both children and adults. Although VPA has beneficial effects, long-term administration is reported to damage many tissues and organs. VPA administration increases free-radical production. Edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, EDA) is a potent antioxidant that protects against oxidative stress. The aim of our study was to investigate the protective effects of EDA against brain damage in VPA-treated rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were used in our study. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, EDA, VPA, and VPA+EDA. EDA and VPA were administered intraperitoneally at doses of 30 mg/kg and 0.5 g/kg, respectively daily for 7 days. On day 8, all animals were sacrificed under anesthesia, and brain tissues were removed. VPA caused decreases in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH, P

Valproic acid (VPA) is a short-chain fatty acid used to treat disorders of the brain. When VPA is used for long term, it causes damage, particularly through the formation of free radicals. The lungs are among the organs most affected by long-term VPA treatment. Some antioxidant substances are used to prevent damage caused by free radicals. One of these substances is alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which occurs naturally. In our study, the protective effect of ALA against VPA-induced lung injury was investigated. In this study, female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. The 1st group served as the control (1 mL olive oil); the 2nd group received ALA (50 mg/kg/day) for 15 days; the 3rd group received VPA (0.5 g/kg/day) for 15 days; and the 4th group received both VPA and ALA at the same doses and for the same duration. ALA and VPA were dissolved in olive oil. On day 16, all groups were euthanized under anesthesia. The lung tissues were collected and homogenized. In the prepared supernatants, the levels of reduced glutathione and total antioxidant status, and the activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, paraoxonase, carbonic anhydrase, aryl esterase, and superoxide dismutase were decreased in the VPA group, while sialic acid, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species, total oxidant, oxidative stress index, hydroxyproline, glycoprotein levels, and xanthine oxidase activities were increased in the VPA group. These values were reversed in ALA when VPA was administered. As a result, it may be concluded that ALA exerts protective effects against VPA-induced lung damage.

This case presents a 2-year-old spayed female cat that developed a complete esophageal stricture following 14 days of oral dry doxycycline therapy. Following treatment, the patient developed symptoms of regurgitation, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Direct radiography revealed marked aerophagia in the esophagus, while contrast radiography showed esophageal dilatation at the level of the first thoracic vertebra (T1) and complete stricture preventing the contrast medium from passing into the stomach. Endoscopic examination verified a complete stricture in the middle esophagus, and computed tomography (CT) revealed that the stricture was localized at T1; no extraluminal mass or vascular ring anomaly was identified. The absence of a history of anesthesia, foreign body ingestion, or trauma in the medical history confirms that the stricture developed due to chemical damage to the esophageal mucosa caused by doxycycline in capsule form. Reports in the literature indicate that administering doxycycline capsules to cats without adequate fluids increases the risk of esophageal ulceration and scarring. Unfortunately, because of the poor prognosis of the complete stricture in the patient, the patient's poor general condition, and the owner's reluctance to pursue treatment, the decision was made to euthanize the patient. In conclusion, the presented case highlights the diagnostic value of combined radiography, contrast esophagography, endoscopy, and computed tomography for diagnosing esophageal strictures that develop after oral administration of doxycycline. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the pharmaceutical formulation and administration technique for oral drug delivery to cats to prevent potential complications.

The welfare of working dogs during training is crucial for their health, learning capacity, and long-term performance. This study investigated the efficacy of the Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) in mitigating acute stress responses in Belgian Malinois during a structured 7-day basic obedience training protocol. Thirty-three dogs were randomly allocated to three groups: Group 1 (control, no training or DAP), Group 2 (training without DAP), and Group 3 (training with DAP). Physiological indicators (heart rate, body temperature, salivary cortisol) and behavioral stress markers (ethogram-coded postures) were recorded daily. Dogs in Group 2 exhibited significantly elevated stress responses across all parameters compared to Groups 1 and 3 (P < 0.001). Group 3, treated with DAP, showed physiological and behavioral measures not statistically different from the control group, indicating effective stress mitigation. Specific stress behaviors—such as ear retraction, lowered head, and semi-low posture—were markedly reduced in DAP-treated dogs. Strong positive correlations were observed between physiological and behavioral indicators (e.g., cortisol and body posture: r=0.503; cortisol and tail position: r=0.744), supporting the reliability of behavioral observations in stress assessment. This is the first study to integrate behavioral and physiological metrics to demonstrate the stress-buffering effect of DAP during active training. Given its non-invasive and non-sedative nature, DAP represents a promising tool for improving welfare in working dogs without compromising performance. Incorporating DAP into training protocols may support ethical handling practices and enhance the well-being and functional success of dogs in demanding service roles.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary sanguinarine supplementation on performance, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant status, immune responses, meat quality, and intestinal morphology in broilers. A total of 84 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments containing sanguinarine at 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 g/kg for a 35-day experimental period. On day 28, an immune challenge was applied by intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS; Escherichia coli serotype O127:B8) to three birds per group, while the remaining birds received sterile saline. Broilers fed sanguinarine-supplemented diets showed significantly higher final body weight and body weight gain, as well as improved feed conversion ratio. Sanguinarine supplementation significantly increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities, while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. Moreover, sanguinarine effectively attenuated LPS-induced oxidative stress by preventing reductions in antioxidant enzyme activities and excessive MDA production. Higher serum concentrations of IgA, IgM, and IgG were observed in broilers receiving sanguinarine supplementation. In addition, dietary sanguinarine reduced serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). In LPS-challenged birds, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α concentrations were markedly decreased by sanguinarine supplementation. Furthermore, lower serum levels of creatinine, urea, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein were detected. Broilers fed sanguinarine-supplemented diets exhibited increased villus height and reduced crypt depth in the small intestine. Results suggest that dietary sanguinarine is an effective feed additive for improving growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune response, and intestinal health in broilers.

Salmonella infections are regarded as a leading global cause of foodborne illnesses in humans, with poultry products frequently identified as sources of these infections. Therefore, understanding the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella is essential for minimising its impact on both animal health and public safety. Boot swabs were collected from chicken farms in different regions of Türkiye and tested for the presence of Salmonella. Following serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Salmonella strains was performed using the disk diffusion method. Thirteen rare serovars, including Agbeni, Bahrenfeld, Bredeney, Braenderup, Barranquilla, Caen, Eppendorf, Grampian, Isangi, Kimuenza, Othmarschen, and Rissen were identified. High levels of resistance were observed to ciprofloxacin; nine isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic, and four were multidrug-resistant. The representativeness of the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the samples for the whole country or the geographical area is unclear. This study provides the first documentation of aforementioned Salmonella serovars in chicken flocks in Türkiye, underscoring the occurrence of multidrug resistance among these serovars. The identification of rare, multidrug-resistant Salmonella serovars in poultry signifies a potential emerging threat to animal health, food safety, and public health.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro effects of two lysozyme doses (10 and 50 FIP U/mL) on rumen fermentation and microbial populations using the artificial rumen system Rusitec with an 80:20 concentrate-to-forage diet. The ruminal pH, the total number of protozoa, total and individual volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, and methane (CH4) release were not significantly affected by the tested quantities of lysozyme. However, the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration was significantly increased by supplementation with Lysozyme-50 (P < 0.05). The dry matter digestibility (DMD) was significantly higher in Lysozyme-50 than in Lysozyme-10 (P < 0.05). The total bacterial count decreased linearly in response to the addition of Lysozyme-50 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the presence of Lysozyme-50, the abundance of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens decreased in both linear and quadratic manners (P < 0.05), and the abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes decreased in a linear manner (P < 0.05). A linear decline tendency in the cell numbers of Ruminococcus albus (P = 0.092) and Megasphaera elsdenii (P = 0.085) was observed with Lysozyme-50 treatment. These findings suggest that while core fermentation parameters such as VFA production and digestibility remained stable, the elevated ammonia nitrogen concentration may reflect reduced nitrogen utilization efficiency, particularly at high doses. Additionally, since lysozyme has limited selectivity for certain rumen bacteria within the Rusitec system, lysozyme may influence rumen microbes differently from conventional antibiotics, warranting further in vitro and in vivo studies across diverse diets and dose ranges.

Ticks are important vectors that transmit viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens and cause diseases in vertebrates. The epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens in cats has been less well investigated than in dogs, and the role of cats in this epidemiology is only partially understood. The main tick‑borne protozoa reported in cats include species of Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Cytauxzoon. The aim of this study was to investigate tick-borne blood protozoa in 200 domestic cats in Ankara province of Turkey. Blood and tick samples were collected from each animal. Of 200 cats examined, 6 (3%) were found positive for Hepatozoon spp., and two different haplotypes were identified. Hepatozoon gamonts were observed in 1% of blood smears. In conclusion, the species and haplotypes present in the region were identified and compared with those found worldwide. These data provided molecular characterization of the relevant pathogens and revealed potential risks to domestic cats.

Edwardsiella tarda is a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative bacterium that is widely distributed in aquatic environments. With the increasing interactions between aquatic animals and humans, E. tarda has become an important pathogen with significant implications for global public health. In this study, we characterized strain ET-1, isolated from an aquarium housing Pangasius pangasius, to evaluate its ecological presence, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenic potential using a combination of phenotypic and genome-based approaches. Biochemical characteristics were determined using the API 20E system. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using MIC testing to determine resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. Whole-genome sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technologies revealed a genome size of 3.76 Mb with a GC content of 57.12%. Genome-based identification using digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH, 86.6%) confirmed the classification as E. tarda. Several virulence-associated genes (flgG – flagellar basal body-rod protein; etfC – electron transfer flavoprotein subunit C) and antimicrobial resistance determinants (qnrS1 – quinolone resistance protein S1; efflux pump genes such as kpnH and kpnF) were identified. Pathogenic potential analysis via PathogenFinder2 indicated a high likelihood of human pathogenicity. Additionally, 16S rRNA-based profiling revealed the widespread environmental and host-associated presence of ET-1-like sequences. These results underscore the zoonotic and environmental significance of E. tarda ET-1 and support its relevance for public health surveillance within the One Health framework.