Humans have always found animals

interesting, amazing companions and

in ancient times they were considered
messengers from the gods.

Chinese records dating to 4000-3000BC

record the use of herbs in both
humans and animals.

Egyptian hieroglyphics (3500 BC) show

many types of domesticated animals.

However, the oldest account dealing

with the healing of animals dates back
to Mesopotamia in about 300 BC !

The first person to be considered a

veterinarian is Urlagaldinna

Alcmaeon, a Greek scientist (500 BC)

was the first person known to dissect
animals for scientific purposes.

Records also show that animal

hospitals were established in India
during the reign of King Ashoka (273232 BC)

Aristotle (384-322 BC) was

instrumental in the development of the
scientific classification of animals that
we now know as taxonomy.

A Roman scholar, Columella, from the

first Century AD wrote 12 volumes on
the topic of animal care and breeding.
Columella was the first person to record
and use the term veterinarius for a
person who is a caretaker of pigs,
sheep and cattle.

The Middle Ages produced many

references to animal plagues and the
devastation caused to the farmers.

During this time animal medicine was

approached from the human medicine
aspect.

In 1762, the first veterinary school in

the world was established by Claude
Bourgelat in Lyons, France!!

After the French school opened many

others followed during the 1770s
Sweden, Germany, Denmark and
Austria.

1844 saw the founding of the Royal

College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
in Great Britain.

The first veterinary college in the

United States was established until
1879.

Until the 1770s the veterinary

profession consisted of self-declared
practitioners, farriers, blacksmiths,
herdsmen and local witch doctors.

People also believed that animals were

put on earth to serve humans therefore
animals could not feel pain the way
humans could.

However, a Scotsman, John Hunter

changed the face of animal medicine.
He practiced surgery and dissection.

He contributed more written work on

veterinary medicine than anyone had
in the previous 125 years!

Animal Care in the New World

European cattle were brought to Florida in

1520 by Ponce de Leon.
However, animals did not arrive in the
Virginia colonies until 1611.
There are references to an expert cow
doctor practicing in Virginia as early as
1625

Records show that dogs were present

on the Mayflower. Some scholars
suspect that goats and chickens were
also on board. However there were no
cattle or horses present.

The larger animals were not brought to

the northern colonies until 1620.

With the advent of the microscope in the

1800s research exploded in the
identification of disease in both humans and
animals.

Knowledge was spread through scholarly

journals and travel by the elite to Europe.
Gentlemen farmers tried the new products
and methods discovered during this time
period.

British surgeon, turned veterinarian,

George Dadd is considered the author
of the first two classics in American
veterinary literature
The Modern Horse Doctor (1854) and
The American Cattle Doctor (1851).

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

was founded by a Royal Charter in 1844.

The school required 5 years of study:

Two years of veterinary sciences to

understand healthy animals, anatomy,
physiology
Three years of clinical skills such as
examinations and diagnosis

The American Veterinary Medical

Association was founded in 1863.

The U.S. Livestock Sanitary Association

(now the U.S. Animal Health Association)
was established in 1897.

The first United States veterinary school

was established in 1879 at Iowa State
University. The program was graduate
study course.

The 20th century saw many advances in

veterinary medicine.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service began to employ
veterinary officers.
Duties included control and eradication
of major epidemic farm animal
diseases, animal welfare, education,
etc.

After World War I, horses were used

less for farm work due to the advent of
automated agriculture.

Many veterinarians began to focus their

practice on dogs and cats. Until this
period, small animals had been a minor
part in veterinary medicine.

Over the next 30 years, veterinary medicine

grew quickly in the United States soon reaching
equal status with the medical community.

Note: In 1947, the Association for Women

Veterinarians was founded by Mary Knight
Dunlap in the United States. At that time, the
U.S. had about 120 women veterinarians,
mostly around New York City and East Lansing,
Michigan.

Information taken from

www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/VetHistory/vet
history.htm
Information Resources on Veterinary
History at the national Agricultural Library
AWIC Resource Series No. 29
February 2005