World Veterinary Day Emphasizes the Value of Vaccinations
AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB) April 27, 2019 -- Saturday, April 27, marks World Veterinary Day, a time to celebrate the profession and recognize the positive impact veterinarians have on animals and society. The World Veterinary Association (WVA) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) choose a theme each year. This year they have selected the “Value of Vaccination,” which emphasizes the importance of vaccinations in disease prevention, animal health and welfare and reducing risks of human exposure to zoonotic diseases.
Vaccination protocols have helped significantly reduce the prevalence of life-threatening diseases, and foregoing vaccinations can negatively affect individual animals and populations. In addition, non-vaccinated animals can impact the livelihoods of rural livestock producers in both emerging and economically developed regions.
“Not only have vaccines prevented disease, they have significantly reduced the economic impact, especially on livestock,” said Rick Wall, DVM, DACVSMR, owner of the Center for Veterinary Pain Management and Rehabilitation and the Animal Clinics of The Woodlands, who serves as president of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). “Vaccination of animals can also protect people from certain zoonotic diseases such as rabies and leptospirosis.”
According to WVA, comprehensive vaccination programs may reduce the need for antimicrobials, which ultimately decreases the possibility of antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is the inability of an antibiotic to work against a dangerous type of bacteria, leading to persistent infections that can spread to others. WVA and HealthforAnimals, a global non-profit organization that represents companies and industry associations in the animal sector, assert that it is the responsibility of veterinarians across the world to educate the public, specifically animal owners and producers, regarding the benefits of vaccinations for human, animal and public health.
“Veterinarians continue to play a key role in the education of the public on vaccinations of animals,” Dr. Wall said.
Animal owners can learn more about the importance of vaccinations and the judicious use of antibiotics by visiting TexVetPets.org, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association’s veterinary professional-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 society.
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.
###
Dena Goldstein, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, http://www.tvma.org, 5124524224, [email protected]
Share this article