World Veterinary Day Recognizes Veterinarians’ Global Impact On Public Health
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) April 30, 2016 -- Saturday, April 30, marks World Veterinary Day, a time to celebrate the profession and recognize veterinarians’ global impact on public health. The World Veterinary Association (WVA) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) choose a theme each year, and this year have selected continuing education with a One Health focus, which emphasizes how veterinarians pursue continuing education opportunities to stay abreast on the latest developments, skills and technologies required to control public health risks at their animal source.
“This is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the global impact our profession has on the health and well-being of society,” said Sam Miller, DVM, owner of the Village Veterinary Clinic in Houston and president of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). “Veterinary medicine has become an integral part of the growing One Health initiative.”
The One Health initiative is a global strategy for increasing collaboration among experts in the public health sector to address the links between the health of animals, humans and the environment. The recent Ebola outbreak demonstrated the need for veterinarians to work with health officials in exploring the role of animals in the epidemic as well as the spread of other diseases.
“It is more important than ever for the veterinary community to keep abreast of emerging threats and to work with other health professions to ensure we can effectively deal with these emerging threats,” Dr. Miller said. “Continuing education and collaboration will play a vital role in our ability to recognize and respond to these threats.”
The Zika virus is one such threat, so it is crucial for veterinarians to be knowledgeable about the disease. Other zoonotic diseases in Texas that threaten the health and welfare of humans and animals include rabies, ringworm, scabies and hookworms, among others. People can learn more about these public health risks and other animal health topics by visiting TexVetPets.org, TVMA’s veterinarian-written and peer-reviewed pet health information website. TexVetPets.org offers veterinarians an opportunity to educate the public on animal health issues and how they intersect with the health and welfare of humans and the environment.
About the Texas Veterinary Medical Association
Founded in 1903, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association is a professional association composed of more than 3,700 veterinarians committed to protecting public health, promoting high educational, ethical and moral standards within the veterinary profession and educating the public about animal health and its relationship to human health. For more information, call 512/452-4224 or visit http://www.tvma.org.
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Dena Goldstein, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, http://www.tvma.org, +1 (512) 452-4224, [email protected]
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