What it means
دامپزشک (dampezeshk) is the standard Persian word for a veterinarian, the medical professional who treats animals. The word is a compound built entirely from Old Iranian roots: دام (dam), meaning livestock or domesticated animal, joined with پزشک (pezeshk), meaning physician or doctor. Pezeshk itself traces back to the Avestan word baeshaza, meaning remedy or medicine, making this a fully native Persian formation. A related word is دامپزشکی (dampezeshki), which refers to the field of veterinary medicine as a discipline or profession.
How to use it
- سگم مریضه، باید ببریمش پیش دامپزشک. (Sagam marize, bayad bebarimesh pish-e dampezeshk.) “My dog is sick, we need to take him to the vet.”
- دامپزشک گفت گربه باید واکسن بزنه. (Dampezeshk goft gorbe bayad vaksen bezane.) “The vet said the cat needs to get vaccinated.”
- خواهرم داره دامپزشکی میخونه. (Khaharam dare dampezeshki mikhoone.) “My sister is studying veterinary medicine.”
- کلینیک دامپزشکی نزدیک خونهمونه. (Klinik-e dampezeshki nazdik-e khoonemune.) “The veterinary clinic is close to our house.”
Cultural note
Veterinary care in Iran has grown considerably in urban areas over the past two decades, driven by a rise in pet ownership, particularly cats and dogs in Tehran and other major cities. Despite some traditional religious reservations about keeping dogs indoors, younger Iranians increasingly treat pets as family members and seek professional veterinary care. The government also employs دامپزشکان (dampezeshkan, plural) in rural regions to monitor livestock health, which remains critical to Iran’s agricultural economy.