A horse with an injured ankle, a stressed cockatoo that plucked out the feathers on its wings and a peacock suffering from an inflamed eye were just some of the patients undergoing treatment at Turkey’s largest animal hospital recently.

The Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Veterinary Science Hospital opened in 1987 and treats thousands of sick animals every year.

After visiting the centre two years ago, Erdem Sahin felt compelled to visit once again in order to see how its 60 veterinarians nurse poorly animals back to health.

The first patient he came across was a dog in a basket, who looked to be in pain. It transpired the canine, who was called “Duman”, which is Turkish for “smoke”, was suffering from constipation.

Duman had to undergo five days of treatment before “seeming very happy and relaxed”, according to the photographer.

Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Show all 20 1 /20 Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A veterinarian feeds a baby cat at the Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Veterinary Science Hospital in Turkey EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A woman hugs her dog before it gets a narcosis for tomography screening EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Veterinarians examine a cat at the hospital which opened in 1987 and treats thousands of sick animals every year EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A veterinarian prepares a parrot for X-ray EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A dog sits in a basket as it waits for treatment. The hospital is split into five departments specializing in internal diseases, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, artificial insemination and wild animal reproduction EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital It also has an emergency room that is staffed 24 hours a day EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A woman cries after she has learned that her dog will remain paralysed EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A veterinarian holds a canary bird for the examination. The hospital treats some 50,000 animals every year, mostly pets EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Surgical equipment at the university EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital The Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Veterinary Science Hospital is funded by vet bills paid by owners EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A dog lies under narcosis before surgery EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A veterinarian checks a drip of a patient dog EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A veterinarian holds a parrot for examination EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Head of Department of Wild Animal Diseases and Ecology professor Dr Serhat Ozsoy (left) treats a peacock EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A Veterinarian student holds a hawk with a broken wing after surgery EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Veterinarians give a narcosis to a parrot before surgery EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A woman waits with her cat EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Veterinarians operate on a cat EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital Veterinarians prepare a cormorant for X-ray screening EPA Inside Turkey's largest animal hospital A patient horse stands in the horse examination room EPA

Another canine, wearing a diaper and confined to a stretcher, was undergoing treatment for cancer.

While that dog had a long and difficult road ahead, the vet treating him was hopeful about the animal’s future.

The hospital is split into five departments specialising in internal diseases, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, artificial insemination and wild animal reproduction.

It also has an emergency room that is staffed 24 hours a day.

Doctor Serhat Ozsoy, the head of the department of animal diseases and ecology, was treating a wild hawk that had been found in another part of the city and brought in with a broken wing.

The bird would be released back into the wild once it had made a recovery.

The hospital treats some 50,000 animals every year, mostly pets, and is funded by vet bills paid by owners.

EPA