Türkiye marks major progress in veterinary surgery in past two decades

ANKARA

Türkiye has made remarkable progress in the field of veterinary surgery over the past two decades, with significant advancements in clinical practices and specialized treatments, an expert has pointed out.

Thanks to this significant progress in clinical veterinary practices in the country, many fatal diseases in pets, particularly brain disorders, are now treatable through surgical methods, Professor Dr. Ömer Beşaltı, a retired faculty member from Ankara University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, explained.

"Many surgeries that we once could not conduct are now successfully performed," Beşaltı said.

Scientific developments, along with growing public interest and willingness to allocate budgets for the health of pets, have played a key role in this progress, according to Beşaltı.

He also highlighted that socio-economic development has led to a significant increase in the number of household pets.

"People now own more pets and are more attentive to their health, ensuring they receive treatment," Beşaltı said.

"All diseases seen in humans can also occur in animals. This creates an opportunity for scientific cooperation between human and veterinary medicine, enabling knowledge sharing. Today, we use the same diagnostic tools and treatment methods in veterinary medicine that are employed in human health care."

Beşaltı explained that while veterinary medicine previously had limited fields of specialization, today it includes a wide range of disciplines such as dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology and neurology.

Veterinarian Dr. Nuray Beşaltı also shared her sentiments, stating that the greatest satisfaction comes from seeing animals who arrived at the clinic unable to walk leave on their own feet. "Many of our patients come to us on stretchers. Sending them home walking is our greatest joy," she said.

Each year, World Veterinary Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of April, with this year’s falling on April 26.