Animals + Humans = One health

You and farmers

You should endeavour to verify that your farmers have in place and are implementing effective biosecurity measures. For full details of such measures, go to Biosecurity and me.

It is beneficial to foster and maintain a good relationship with your customers, earning their trust through full communication and providing appropriate information, and respecting their views and confidentiality. This also involves responding promptly, fully and courteously to their questions, complaints and criticisms. They will then feel comfortable to ask you for advice and come to you if they suspect the presence of a notifiable animal disease. This is vital as early reporting of a disease facilitates a swift response, which can help prevent a large-scale outbreak.

You and pet owners

You have a responsibility to ensure the best protection of public health and to make animal owners aware of their responsibilities to the public. The rules for importing pets into the EU may seem complex and difficult to understand for pet owners. As you are the relays of information, it is advisable, therefore, to educate and advise them on the regulations in an easy-to-understand way.

You and animals

You should endeavour to ensure the welfare and health of the animals under your care in whichever section of the veterinary profession you work. This may be taken for granted. But good animal welfare can play a crucial role in preventing disease and limiting its spread.

You and medicines

You must understand and comply with your legal obligations in relation to the prescription, safekeeping, use, supply and disposal of medicinal products. In this, you should explain clearly to farmers how prescribed medicines should be used and stored. In addition, you should record and deal with any problem relating to the handling or administration of medicinal products according to general pharmacovigilance principles and requirements.

You and the competent authorities

You are often the link between animal owners and the competent authorities. Whichever part of the veterinary profession you belong to, it is thus beneficial to foster and endeavour to maintain good relationships with the competent authorities. You should fulfil, whenever required, promptly and in accordance with the instructions given, the obligations of public service which you undertake on behalf of the competent authorities, for example in reporting a notifiable disease.

You and your staff

Disease can spread through people via their clothes, footwear or hands. It is thus important that all your staff and people you work with understand the significance of good biosecurity and the measures that you implement. You should ensure that they maintain a high level of hygiene and cleanliness. You are expected to set an example to others so you must practise what you preach!

You and your premises and equipment

Disease can also spread between animals or holdings indirectly through dirty equipment or premises. Given that by its very nature, sick animals enter your veterinary offices, it is vital that you undertake stringent cleaning and disinfecting to prevent the spread of disease to the next animals that visit. The cleaning and/or disinfecting of your premises and equipment should therefore be planned, documented and comply with hygiene rules.