Pakistani veterinary doctors successfully develop a “PRP gel” that helps treat injured, paralyzed animals in days
Dr. Sajjad's new gel treatment method helped him heal the horse's wounds in four weeks, while the standard treatment would have taken up to a year.
Reports state that Pakistani veterinarians have successfully developed a gel from plasma to treat old wounds of animals. The platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel strengthens animal muscles and heals wounds faster.
Why was the gel prepared?
Dr. Talha Sajjad of the Veterinary University Lahore Department of Animal Welfare said:
Dozens of injured dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys are brought to the department daily for treatment. The most challenging task is to heal the old wounds of animals.
He further stated:
The traditional way is that we give these animals antibiotic medicine, which takes months for recovery. If it is an internal wound, it takes more effort, but now we are using a straightforward approach – the plasma gel. The gel has also made it possible to treat paralyzed animals.
How was the gel prepared?
While speaking to a media outlet, Dr. Sajjad shed some light on the gel preparation process and shared that he has formulated the gel by mixing animal blood and other ingredients, which is applied as an ointment on the wounds of the injured animals. If the wound is internal, the affected part is massaged with the gel, due to which the animal heals in days instead of months.
The doctor shared:
My most outstanding achievement to date was the treatment of a polo horse with this gel. It slipped during a game, and a part of its body was paralyzed due to the fall. This horse is worth more than Rs. 1.5 million. The owner of the thoroughbred horse had decided to shoot him, but I treated it. The horse’s rear legs were massaged and bandaged, the gel was applied on the wounds, and other medicines were also administered. After two months of treatment with the gel, the horse had recovered and started running as before.
Dr. Sajjad’s new gel treatment method helped him heal the horse’s wounds in four weeks, while the standard treatment would have taken up to a year.
Dr. Sajjad received international appreciation
The Royal College in the UK praised Dr. Sajjad’s success with the gel. UVAS Assistant Professor Dr. Hamid Akbar also appreciated the gel treatment and said:
The autologous PRP gel is low-cost and effective for rapid recovery from chronic equine wounds. Research is under way to persevere the gel for a longer time to make it available in all veterinary hospitals with blood banks.
Dr. Sajjad humbly accepted the appreciation and replied with a thought-provoking statement about the Pakistani veterinary sector. He said:
I have not only successfully treated a paralyzed horse for the first time in Pakistan but also operated upon a fractured knee of a donkey without a steel rod. Pakistani veterinary doctors are known for their expertise and achievements worldwide, but their abilities are not being utilized in the country.
The doctor continued to state:
People bring injured animals to the department, but it does not have medicines. NGOs working to protect animals provide medicines when they send animals for treatment, but the citizens have to bear the cost of the drugs.
Dr. Sajjad hopes that his success story would shine some light on the neglected veterinary sector, and authorities would play their part in improving the lives of the animals too.
What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.
