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.

Aim: The aims of the present study are to determine the significant plant species utilized in ethnoveterinary medicine of Central Anatolia region (Turkey), identify methods used for different veterinary preparations, and to compare the plants used in the treatment of different animal dermatological diseases in other regions of Turkey and different parts of the world. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 173 individuals in total by means of a semi-structured questionnaire, between 2009 and 2013, for the purpose of recording traditional veterinary remedies and practices employed in animal health care. In order to evaluate the reliability and richness of the knowledge of medicinal plants in the area, quantitative indices, such as "informant consensus factor (FIC)," "use value (UV)," "relative frequency citation," and "fidelity level," were used for the data analysis. Results: The findings of this study have revealed about 26 species, including herbs, trees, and green algae belonging to 22 botanical families utilized in the treatment of veterinary dermatological diseases by breeders in Central Anatolia. In the present study, the highest FIC score (0.90) was identified for cracked nipples. It was determined that Pine tar and Cydonia oblonga were used for the above-mentioned purpose. The second highest FIC value (0.87) was identified for ringworm. A number of medicinal plants were very popular and utilized intensively in the present research area. In accordance with the calculation performed on the basis of the UV, it was determined that Pinus nigra (0.43) and Allium sativum (0.28) had the highest UVs. Conclusion: The current study has emphasized the ethnoveterinary knowledge of plants recently in use and their new usage in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey.

Organic animal production is a natural breeding system in which animal health is protected by giving priority to alternative medicines and treatment as needed by applying appropriate management and feeding methods based on the physiological requirements of animals. Increasing numbers of strains resistant to antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs used in animal breeding have brought about the search for alternative herbal remedies that lead to drug residues in animal products and lead to important health problems in people consuming these products. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic and protective effects of herbal drugs used in organic animal production in ethnoveterinary medicine in the Central Anatolia Region. The material of the study collected as written and declared facts as well as visual data were obtained from animal breeders in the Central Anatolia Region. The results indicated that 30 herbal drugs were used for the treatment of internal diseases, surgical diseases, obstetric and gynecological problems and parasitic diseases in cattle, sheep, horse, poultry, bee, and dog species. Based on the evaluation of the facts that the use of all kinds of synthetic drugs, especially antibiotics, is prohibited or restricted in organic livestock, it can be said that natural herbal drugs instead of artificial substances will provide positive contributions in the protection and treatment of herd health.

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ÖzetÇalışmada, ruminantların paraziter hastalıklarına ve alternatif tedavi uygulamalarına yönelik folklorik verilerin İç Anadolu Bölgesi Konya Bölümündeki (Aksaray, Karaman ve Konya) çeşitliliğinin belirlenmesi ve yeni tedavi modelleri açısından komparatif bir tartışma ortamı oluşturmasına fırsat sunulması, halk arasında paraziter hastalıklar için tedavi amacıyla kullanılan bitkisel, hayvansal ve madensel kökenli ilaç hammaddelerinin etkinliğinin ve yan etkilerinin güncel tıp bilgileri doğrultusunda araştırılması ve tedavi arayışlarına yardımcı olunması amaçlandı. Çalışmanın materyalini, İç Anadolu'nun Konya Bölümü içerisinde yaşayan halk hekimliği uygulayıcıları, hayvan sahipleri ve hayvancılıkla uğraşan 177 kaynak kişiden "bilgi derleme formu" yoluyla elde edilen yazılı verilerle birlikte sözlü ve görsel veriler oluşturdu. Çalışmada, İç Anadolu Bölgesi Konya Bölümünde yapılan folklor çalışmasında ruminantlarda bit, pire, kene, nokra, uyuz, coenurus cerebralis, fasciolozis, mide-bağırsak parazitleri ve babesiozis gibi paraziter hastalıklara rastlandığı ve alternatif tedavi uygulamaları arasında; hidroterapi (su ile tedavi), fitoterapi (bitki ile tedavi), jeoterapi (kil ve çamur ile tedavi) gibi yöntemlerin kullanıldığı belirlendi. Bununla birlikte paraziter hastalıkların tedavisinde katran, bit otu, termiğe tohumu, tütün, kül, karamuk bitkisi kökü, yumurta, kükürt, tuz, göktaşı ve kil gibi bitkisel, hayvansal ve madensel ilaç hammaddeleri ve terkiplerinin kullanıldığı tespit edildi. Sonuç olarak, İç Anadolu Bölgesi Konya Bölümünde yapılan folklor çalışmasında ruminantlarda bit, pire, kene, nokra, uyuz, coenurus cerebralis, fasciolozis, midebağırsak parazitleri ve babesiozis gibi paraziter hastalıklara rastlandığı; parazit tedavisinde kullanılan katran, bit otu, termiğe tohumu, tütün, karamuk bitkisi kökü, kükürt, tuz, göktaşı ve kil gibi ilaç hammaddelerinden modern tıpta da yararlanıldığı; ancak genel olarak uygulamaların dinî-sihrî, ampirik ve rasyonel nitelikler taşıdığı söylenebilir. Anahtar sözcükler: Alternatif tedavi, Folklor, Konya Bölümü, Ruminantların paraziter hastalıkları Ruminant Parasitic Diseases and Treatment Methods at Folklore of Konya Area in Central Anatolia Region AbstractThe aim of this study was to reveal the diversity of folkloric data in Konya Area (Aksaray, Karaman, Konya) of Central Anatolia Region regarding alternative treatment application to parasitic diseases of ruminant and, to provide an oppurtunity to comparative discussion media for the new treatment model, to reveal the effectiviness and side effect of herbal, animal and mineral based drug raw materials by actual medicine information and, to help treatment quest in today. The study material consisted of visual, oral and written data by "information collection form" from the 177 source person dealing with animal husbandry, animal owner sand folk medicine practitioners lived in Konya Area. Alternative treatment methods in this study varied as hydrotheraphy, phytotherapy, jeotherapy and it has been determined herbal, animal and ...