When we think of veterinarians, we usually picture them taking care of our pets. However, their work extends far beyond just helping animals. Veterinarians play a key role in keeping both animals and humans healthy, making them vital to public health. This connection between animal, human, and environmental health is called One Health.
Next week is National Public Health Week, so let’s consider what could happen if veterinarians no longer contributed to public health.
If veterinarians no longer supported public health, there could be serious consequences for both human and animal health, as well as the environment. Here’s how it might affect us.
Increase in Zoonotic Diseases
Without veterinarians monitoring animal health and controlling diseases that can spread to humans (like rabies, avian influenza, or even COVID-19), we could see a rise in zoonotic diseases. Without proper surveillance and early intervention, outbreaks could become more frequent and harder to control, leading to widespread illness in both animals and humans.
Unsafe Food Supply
Veterinarians help ensure that the animals raised for food are healthy and disease-free. If they stopped inspecting farms and ensuring safe practices, we could see an increase in foodborne illnesses, such as salmonella or E. coli, which can affect humans. Our food supply would become riskier, leading to potential health crises and a loss of trust in food safety.
Food Scarcity
Veterinarians help prevent diseases in animals raised for food, like cows, pigs, and chickens. If veterinarians stopped monitoring and treating these animals, diseases could spread rapidly within livestock populations. For example, diseases like foot-and-mouth disease or avian influenza can cause large numbers of animals to become sick or die, reducing the supply of meat, eggs, and dairy products. This could lead to shortages and higher prices for consumers proportional to the severity of the outbreak.
Environmental Damage
Veterinarians also play a key role in protecting the environment by monitoring and managing animal waste and encouraging sustainable farming practices. Without their oversight, animal waste could pollute water sources, and harmful farming practices could damage ecosystems. This could lead to environmental degradation that affects both animal and human health, including contamination of water supplies with harmful bacteria or chemicals.
Increased Antibiotic Resistance
Veterinarians help ensure that antibiotics are used responsibly in animals to prevent the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. If they no longer monitored antibiotic use, there would be a greater risk of creating “superbugs” that could spread to humans, making infections harder to treat and increasing the threat of pandemics.
Global Health Threats
Veterinarians also contribute to controlling diseases that affect people worldwide, particularly in rural or developing areas. Without their expertise, neglected tropical diseases and other health threats could spread unchecked, especially in regions with limited healthcare resources. This could worsen global health disparities and lead to more deaths and suffering.
Without veterinarians’ support in public health, we would face more diseases, unsafe food, food scarcity, environmental problems, and global health challenges. Veterinarians are essential to preventing these risks and ensuring a safer and healthier world for both animals and humans.
