Who is a veterinarian

A veterinary physician, usually called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon, is

a professional who practices veterinary medicine by treating disease, disorder, and injury in non-

human animals.

In many countries, the local nomenclature for a vet is a regulated and protected term, meaning

that members of the public without the prerequisite qualifications and/or registration are not able

to use the title. In many cases, the activities that may be undertaken by a veterinarian (such as

animal treatment or surgery) are restricted only to those professionals who are registered as vet.

Most vets work in clinical settings, treating animals directly. These vets may be involved in a

general practice, treating animals of all types; may be specialised in a specific group of animals

such as companion animals, livestock, zoo animals or horses; or may specialise in a narrow

medical discipline such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine.

The relationship between veterinary medicine and humans

The relationship between people, animals and their host environment has always been at the root

of the very existence and survival of human beings. As human society has evolved, this

relationship has also undergone profound changes. In general, it is possible to distinguish

between three types of interconnection, as follows:

the relationship between the environment, humans and wild animals.

the relationship between the environment, humans and domestic animals.

the relationship between the environment, humans and companion animals (pets) or

sports animals (for example, hunting dogs).

The role of veterinary public health: a global approach

Veterinary public health is a branch of preventive medicine based on population groups as well

as on individual cases. Veterinary epidemiology and epidemiological surveillance networks are

therefore very important tools in the implementation of veterinary public health.

Veterinary public health includes several disciplines of veterinary medicine, in particular, the

following:

microbiology

virology

parasitology

pathology

food hygiene

environmental hygiene

toxicology.

All these disciplines involve either on-the-spot checks or controls performed by diagnostic

laboratories. The main responsibilities of veterinary public health, as defined

above, are as follows:

the promotion of animal health, to improve production and productivity so as to ensure

the provision of sufficient quantities of animal proteins for human nutrition and the socio-

economic development of countries with export potential

the protection of foodstuffs of animal origin for human consumption, to guarantee their

safety and nutritional quality, and to prevent disease being transmitted in this way

the surveillance, prevention and control of zoonoses and reportable infective diseases

common to humans and animals which cause morbidity, disability and mortality in

vulnerable human populations

the promotion of environmental protection with regard to potential risks to public health

stemming from industrialised zootechnical production, the keeping of farm animals and

companion animals, or the presence of hazardous fauna and synanthropic animals in

cities.

As a result, the following steps should be taken to ensure veterinary public health:

diagnosis, communication, surveillance and eradication of animal diseases and zoonoses

control of safety of foodstuffs of animal origin throughout the production chain

control of products and waste products of animal origin

control of zootechnical hygiene (i.e. hygiene in farming practices, e.g. control of animal

feed)

control of veterinary drugs (residues and antimicrobial resistance)

control of wild fauna and their environment

control of international trade in animals, animal products, animal wastes and foodstuffs of

animal origin.

It is also essential to monitor the veterinary public health activities of both official and private

veterinarians.

Ethics of the relationship between humans and animalsThe ethical responsibilities of humans towards animals can be a concept which is intimately

linked with the cultural values of a given population. Official Veterinary Services must thus

ensure that all those concerned with agriculture and the care of animals provide proper

conditions for their welfare. This should be done for the sake of the animals themselves, not

simply because they are a valuable product. The issues inherent in the use of transgenic animals

as organ donors for humans is one aspect of this problem.

Professional activities

All activities performed by veterinarians for public health and the ethics of all relationships

between humans and animals must be subject to evaluation by the official Veterinary Service.

Exchange of information and communication

The exchange of epidemiological, technical and scientific information is fundamental to an

efficient veterinary public health system, and to the development and maintenance of

international trade. In this respect, reliable and transparent information, as well as rapid

communication, especially in periods of crisis, is of strategic importance.

Bioterrorism

Many biological weapons, either in the hands of the military or of terrorists, are zoonotic, often

particularly pathogenic for animals. In addition to their direct impact on humans, such weapons

aim to inflict the greatest possible damage on the economies of the countries attacked. In order to

minimise the damage caused by such an attack, the World Health Organization Assembly, in a

resolution adopted on 14 May, urges Member States, in the event of public health problems

arising from the deliberate or accidental use of biological or chemical agents or nuclear material,

to share ‘expertise, supplies and resources in order to contain the event rapidly and mitigate

its effects.

Environmental Health

Because veterinarians work at the interface of human, animal, and environmental health, they are

uniquely positioned to view this dynamic through the lens of public health impact. Significant

changes in land use, expansion of large and intensified animal-production units, and microbial

and chemical pollution of land and water sources have created new threats to the health of both

animals and humans. Because animals share human environment, food, and water, they are

effective sentinels for environmental, human, and public health problems, including bioterrorism.

Concerns are increasing about antimicrobial resistance of pathogens, waste and nutrient

management, and potential runoffs into streams, rivers, and oceans. Food animal and wildlife

populations are inextricably linked to some environmental problems. Together these have led to

creation of a new scientific discipline called ecosystem health, and veterinarians are assuming a

leadership role in the field.

Zoonosis in Companion Animals

Veterinarians also have contributed to public health through the care of companion animals.

Millions of exotic animals, birds, and reptiles are kept as pets. Although pets enrich the lives of

humans, they also potentially can threaten public health. Veterinarians help educate the public

about prevention of zoonoses; vaccinate large numbers of pets for zoonotic diseases, such as

rabies and leptospirosis; and reduce the level of eco parasites that can transmit human diseases

and intestinal worms, such as roundworms and hookworms, which can cause serious health

problems in humans.

Feed and Food Safety

Ensuring safe food is paramount for the protection of human health and for enhancement of the

quality of life. Safe food plays an important role, whether domestically produced and consumed,

imported or exported. In addition, the production of safe food represents an opportunity for

income generation and market access. Over the last decades, the food chain approach has been

recognized as an important step forward to ensure food safety from production up to

consumption. This approach requires the commitment of all players in the food chain, involving

producers, traders, processors, distributors, competent authorities as well as consumers.

 The role of animal feed in the production of safe food is also recognized worldwide, and several

events have underlined its impacts on public health, feed and food trade, and food security.

Concerns prompted by the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and other

more common food problems associated with Salmonella, enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli

and other contaminants, have encouraged professionals and the feed industry to scrutinize more

closely the causes of these diseases and methods for their control. Measures may require limiting

the use of some ingredients or radically changing the way in which they are prepared (processed)

or sourced. In some cases the locations where animals are grazed need to be restricted.

References

http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/A6.html

OIE (World organisation for animal health) (2003). Terrestrial animal health code, 12th

Ed. OIE, Paris, 515 pp.

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION (CAC) (2005): Code of Hygienic Practice

for Meat(CAC/RCP 58-2005). FAO/WHO, Rome, Italy.

Veterinary public health by Joann M. Lindenmayer, DVM, MPH.