World Veterinary Day 2008: (from our pets to) protecting humanity against killer diseases
Press release
22 April 2008
World Veterinary Day will be celebrated on Saturday 26 April with this year’s theme being 'the diversity of the profession'.
The growing global traffic of people and animals has created more awareness about the important role that vets play in the modern era. Areas such as public health and biosecurity, food production and safety, animal welfare, quarantine and multi-million dollar industries like horse racing and agriculture all rely on the work and expertise of veterinarians.
According to Professor Ken Hinchcliff, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne, ‘It’s a very exciting profession to be in and the opportunities for veterinarians in the future are phenomenal; not only in contributing to the health and welfare of animals but to the solution of global problems like avian and equine flu.’
The reality of the role of veterinarians is varied and, increasingly, their work is crucial to the welfare of people the world over as well as the animals with which we share the planet.
‘Vets have always been involved in the maintenance and well-being of animals, but there’s an increasing awareness of our involvement in the maintenance and provision of safe and healthy foods for people and in the prevention of the spread of zoonotic diseases.’
Zoonotic diseases are those that spread from animals to people and include rabies, the Ebola virus and avian influenza.
‘The major emerging infectious diseases that affect people now are zoonoses. Part of the reason for this is the increasing pressure on the environment by large human populations. We’re moving humans into closer contact with a lot of the animals that transmit these diseases.’
‘Another area that is increasingly popular with veterinarians, and where there is increasing opportunity, is exotic and conservation medicine, where we’re concerned with the health of populations of wild animals.’
Climate change, says Professor Hinchcliff, presents a major disease risk to many wild animals. ‘A worldwide example of this is chytrid fungus, which infects frogs and kills them. The infection is related to global warming and higher temperatures.’
A recent event that has achieved newspaper headlines around Australia and which threw a spotlight on the veterinary profession was the outbreak of equine influenza. Dr James Gilkerson, Head of the University’s Equine Infectious Disease Laboratory, was one of the group that wrote the Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN) for equine influenza that was put into action in the days following the outbreak.
‘That was the manual that everyone pulled off the shelf and used. It’s a very good contingency plan system; so everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing, what everyone else was supposed to be doing and how decisions [about handling the outbreak] would be made.’
Of course, caring for our pets will always be a focus of the veterinary profession, and the species of animals vets are being asked to treat are becoming more diverse. Dr Mark Davis, Director of the University’s Werribee Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, has noticed an increase in the numbers of exotic and native animals, such as ferrets, snakes, lizards and frogs being kept as pets.
‘A lot of the problems we see [relating to these species] are husbandry problems. Humans have kept cats, dogs and other domestic species for centuries and there’s a certain level of knowledge in society on how to look after these.’
‘A lot of care for exotics species involves getting their housing and diet right. They have special needs that aren’t always met by being in captivity unless you really work at it.’
Dr Davis acknowledges the link between the pet ownership and the health and well-being of people. ‘If you own a dog, you will most likely get more exercise and be out and socialising with other people.’ He also says that vets are often confronted with seriously ill animals that provide vital companionship for their owners. The loss of such an animal would have a very real negative impact on their lives.
This World Veterinary Day spare a thought for the vets who in their many and varied roles not only improve the lives of animals, but also play a vital role in the health and welfare of all of us.
For further information please contact Andrea Jones, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Tel: 8344 7844 or email: ajone@unimelb.edu.au