Genetic Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Gene therapy focuses on the genetic modification of cells, to produce a therapeutic effect or for the treatment of disease, by repairing or reconstructing defective genetic material. The development of genetic engineering and biotechnology makes it possible to deliver genes to the cells and tissues of the body, or to edit genes in a targeted manner. This allows us to “correct” faulty molecular process which provides, in comparison with conventional pharmaceuticals, fundamentally new therapeutic opportunities for previously incurable animal diseases. In this article, we demonstrate the prospects for using gene therapy in veterinary medicine. The possibility of using genetic engineering allows us to create species-specific gene drugs for animals, whilst avoiding unwanted complications and side effects. Gene therapy also opens up novel contemporary ways of treating a variety of animal diseases and additionally makes it possible to control the number of homeless animals in the community.