1,046 Veterinarians from 51 countries, participated in a recently concluded survey conducted by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, World’s Top 3 Animal Health companies. Interestingly, this survey findings reveal certain routinely-overlooked aspects of veterinary care that are essential in protecting animals, people and the society.
This survey has identified three of the most important yet under-recognised aspects of veterinary care. Results from survey identified following as the top three:
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Uncovering hidden health problems and pain, identified by veterinary professionals focused on pets (97%) and equine (67%)
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Protecting food-chain safety, identified by 76% of livestock veterinary professionals
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Surveillance programs to limit the spread of disease, identified by 62% of livestock veterinary professionals
The findings underscore the far-reaching role veterinary professionals play in everyday life, from caring for pets in over half of households globally to safeguarding the animals and animal-derived products that help feed 97% of the world’s population.
Value of Vet Expertise – Not Recognised Fully Yet
An average Veterinary graduate undergoes education for 6 to 8 years at minimum, post secondary school in most countries of the world. This “invisible veterinary expertises” hones with years of training. Identifying health issues in animals and determining the course of action relies on a depth of knowledge that isn’t always immediately obvious to pet owners.
As expectations around animal health and wellbeing rise among pet owners, veterinary judgement plays an increasingly important role across every stage of care – from prevention and early diagnosis to managing complex conditions.
Yet much of this work is invisible to animal owners, with 97% of pet veterinary professionals in North America identifying “spotting hidden health problems” as the most important aspect of their role most likely to be overlooked.
Hidden power of preventative veterinary care
Much of veterinary care is preventive by nature, with timely intervention and careful observations helping to address issues before they escalate and easing long-term emotional and financial strain on animal owners.
Yet when equine veterinary professionals in North America were surveyed, they ranked “detecting hidden pain and subtle early disease signs” (67%) and “using a horse’s environment and clinical history to predict risk” (73%) as the most important but overlooked aspects of their role.
Veterinary care protecting food systems and public health
Livestock veterinary care – which protects animals such as cattle, pigs, and poultry – has a direct and measurable impact on the food that people depend on every day, underpinning around 34% of the global food protein supply.
It also matters for public health, as 60% of human infectious diseases are known to spread between animals and humans and 70% of emerging diseases originate in animals as zoonotic diseases.
Yet, according to livestock veterinary professionals in North America, the broader impact of their role often goes un-recognised. In the survey, most identified “protecting food-chain safety” as an aspect of their role most likely to be overlooked by the public (76%), followed closely by “surveillance to limit the spread of disease” (62%).
