Food Safety
Healthy animals mean safer food
Animal medicines are a critical link in the food safety chain, representing a necessary tool for farmers and veterinarians to help prevent diseases, treat sick animals, and control outbreaks among livestock and poultry. Keeping food-producing animals healthy also increases the availability and affordability of safe meat and dairy products.
The animal health industry, farmers and ranchers, food producers, and government agencies including USDA and FDA work together to maximize food safety and minimize the impact of a disease outbreak. For example, vaccines can reduce the prevalence of harmful foodborne pathogens that spread through contaminated food, like E. coli, campylobacter, and salmonella.
Zoonotic Diseases
Medicines prevent diseases from moving between people and animals
Some diseases–such as West Nile virus, avian flu, and rabies–can spread between people and animals. Called zoonoses, scientists estimate that more than six out of every ten known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, and three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.
Animal lovers and medical professionals take steps to prevent pets and livestock from contracting zoonotic diseases by using vaccines and other medicines.