Veterinarian in Society

ANIMAL SURGERY

• From primitive therapeutics, the early man turned to primitive surgery. “Susruta Samhita” is the earliest known work dealing with surgery. According to evidence with Indian scholars, who made great improvement in the general techniques of surgery and performed many new and major operations.
• The students were taught surgical techniques first on dummies and later on dead animals. Almost all aspects of surgery were dealt in ancient medical veterinary treatises. Some of these aspects were preliminary surgical methods, dressing and bandaging of wounds, symptoms to predict prognosis of the surgical cases, etc.
• Special methods include application of cauterize, removal of foreign bodies and obstructions, surgical grafting, and treatment of fractures, dislocations, and fistula.
• Methods of suturing and plastering and duties of physicians, surgeons, and nurses have been dealt in detail. General principles of surgery described include preparatory measures and principal measures (including surgery and post-operative measures).
• However, there appears to be no mention of anaesthetic techniques. Surgical treatment of animal disease was very much developed during Vedic period. Skilful surgeons treated animals with precision and great perfection.
• Treatment of sinus fistula, burns and scalds, snakebite, fractures, ailments of ligaments/tendons, dystocia, removal of dead foetus, extraction of teeth and fractures were routinely done during Vedic period.