World Veterinary Day 2025
- Animal health takes a team -

Dr K Rashbehari Singh *

Anti-Rabies Vaccination administered at State Veterinary Hospital, Imphal in January 2015 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

World Veterinary Day 2025 was on the 26th April, 2025 on the theme, ‘Animal Health Takes a Team’ and is an opportunity to recognize the vital contributions of veterinarians and the broader veterinary community in promoting animal health, welfare, and public safety.

The theme focuses on the importance of teamwork in veterinary care, acknowledging that effective veterinary services often rely on the collective efforts of a range of professionals, including veterinary nurses, technicians, researchers, and other allied health professionals. Together, veterinary teams can ensure the highest standards of care and support for animals, their owners, and the globe.

Animal health

Animal health is the state of physical and psychological well-being. It includes the animal’s ability to reproduce, be productive, and cope with challenges. For ensuring productivity, performance, and welfare, maintaining optimal animal health is essential and it involves preventive measures, disease management strategies, and veterinary interventions aimed at minimizing health risks and promoting resilience to environmental and management-related stressors.

Animal health is a complex issue and it includes the health of individual animals, as well as the interplay between animal welfare, human health, environment protection and food safety. Animal diseases can have a significant impact on the health of humans and the environment.

Importance of animal health

Production performance: Animals which are healthy are more likely to achieve optimal growth, reproduction,, and production performances, resulting in higher yields and profitability for livestock producers. Health management practices and disease prevention contribute to maximizing the genetic potential and efficiency of livestock production systems.

Welfare and ethical considerations: A fundamental aspect of responsible animal husbandry and ethical stewardship is ensuring good animal health. Farmers have a moral and legal obligation to safeguard the welfare of the animals. They should provide adequate care, nutrition, housing, and medical attention to promote the physical and psychological well-being of the animals.

Farm animal welfare is important for many reasons, but it is often overlooked. Humane farms can create jobs, boosts profits and keep local food supplies healthy. Humanly raised animals are typically healthier and require less medical intervention, which can reduce farming expenditure. Supporting farm animal welfare can be good for business, as the consumers are increasingly interested in humanly produced food.

Food safety and public health: Diseases affecting livestock can pose risks to human health through zoonotic transmission or contamination of food products, therefore, animal health has implications for public health. Vaccination of healthy animals, biosecurity, and hygiene practices will help to safeguard consumer health.

Reducing environmental pressures : Maintaining good animal health not only enhances the health of humans but our environment too. According to FAO, if all farmers were to simply adopt existing best practices in health and husbandry, like vaccination and regular veterinary care, emissions from livestock could be slashed by 30 per cent.

The animals needed for the farm will be reduced if the animals are more productive and therefore the amount of emissions produced. Healthy animals and reduced need of antibiotics: If we are to manage antimicrobial resistance, it is needed to use antibiotics responsively across both animal and human health.

Feeding quality feed to healthy animals with strong immunity to diseases, using preventive techniques such as vaccination, and housing them in suitable conditions, the animals are less likely to become sick and need antibiotics to get them back to good health.

Veterinary health care team

It takes a dedicated and skilled veterinary team working together to provide the highest level of care, when it comes to ensuring the well-being of our beloved animal companions. Animal scientists investigate regarding management, breeding, feeding, and all the best ways to raise animals. Many animal scientists work with farm animals, animals in zoo, pets and laboratory animals.

Farmers or producers are the people who work with farm animals every day. They make sure animals have clean water, healthy food and comfortable shelter. Every day, the farmers monitor their animals for diseases and other health problems.

Veterinarians: Veterinarians are doctors trained to protect the health of both animals and people. They are the traditional core of the veterinary team. In a veterinary clinical hospital, veterinarians work with small and large animals to evaluate animal’s health, diagnose and treat illness, provide routine preventive care, prescribe medication, and perform surgery.

Veterinarians may also work in zoos, wildlife parks, or aquariums; focus on public health and regulatory medicine; enter academic or research institutions; or may pursue other career paths.

In educating pet owners about preventive care, nutrition, and general animal health, veterinarians also play a crucial role. Regarding treatment plans, veterinarians make important decisions and collaborate with other team members to provide the best care possible.

Veterinary Technicians: In clinical practice, veterinary technicians perform valuable medical and non-medical services. The veterinary technicians are trained to support the veterinarian by assisting with surgery, laboratory procedures, radiography, anesthesiology, treatment and nursing, and client education.

Veterinary Hospital Managers: In a veterinary hospital, having a hospital manager greatly improves the team’s efficiency. The manager is responsible for managing the business functions of the practice. Personnel hiring and supervision, budget and inventory management, accounting, marketing, record keeping etc. are the duties of a manager.

They are responsible for coordinating staff schedules, maintaining inventory of medical supplies, booking client appointments, and ensuring compliance with regulations and protocols. Especially in difficult situations, they often act as a liaison between the veterinary team and pet owners.

Veterinary Assistants: The duties of the assistants are to perform kennel work, assist in restrain and handling of animals, feed and exercise the animals, or spend time on clerical duties.

Receptionists: The receptionist is usually the first person to welcome a client into the hospital and the last person the client sees when they leave. The client perceives the quality of medical services being offered following the interactions with the receptionist. They answer phone calls, handle appointment scheduling, greet clients, and assist with paperwork. They also help coordinate communication between pet owners and the veterinary team, ensuring all information is conveyed accurately.

Administrative Assistants: By handling clerical duties, managing paperwork, and maintaining electronic records, the Administrative Assistants support the veterinary team. However, in smaller practices this role is often filled by a combination of receptionists, technicians, and managers. Administrative Assistants assist with tasks such as billing, invoicing, and processing of insurance claims.

They may also ensure compliance with legal protocols and help manage budgets. Administrative Assistants help the veterinary team to focus on providing excellent care to the animals and ensure the smooth flow of administrative processes.

Kennel/barn staff: Within the facility, kennel or bam staff members are responsible for the day-to-day care of animals. Their role is often similar to that of an animal care attendant but implies less direct- animal restrain and handling.

In a large practice, this role is generally only separate from that of a care attendant. They feed, water, exercise, and provide basic grooming for the animals. Further, they monitor the well-being of the animals and report any changes or concerns to the veterinary team.

Community Animal Health Workers: Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) can be described as community members usually livestock keepers selected by their own community with the collaboration of private veterinary doctors, the public veterinary service and supporting bodies (projects and NGOs), and trained to perform basic animal health and animal husbandry-related tasks in their community.

Counsellors/Social Workers: To provide emotional support to pet owners during difficult times, some veterinary clinics employ counselors or social workers. While counsellors are more common in large or referral practices, they are often also available to regular clinics. They help the pet owners to cope with the loss of a pet, navigate challenging medical situations, or deal with the emotional aspects of caring for a sick animal.

In assuring the health and well-being of the hospital’s patients and the owners who cares for them, all the professional and paraprofessional staff has an important role to play. In a practice, each role is essential and helps keep the clinic running smoothly.

Principles of teamwork in a veterinary clinic

Veterinary practices rely a lot on team work. Teamwork is key, for the health of the patients, the happiness of the clients, the well being of the technicians, and the efficiency of practice.

A clear goal: A clear goal will give the team a sense of purpose, as well as a sense of achievement once the goal is reached. This can bond the team, making it easier to work together. A simple clear and specific task that can be completed will give a sense of accomplishment and will motivate to do more for the rest of the day.

Accountability: Make sure that there is accountability. If a task is given to a team, reward them if they do, and make sure you keep the team accountable if they don’t complete it. Identify barriers to completion as well as what they can do better next time.

Creation of supportive team environment: A supportive team environment can make the team flourish. Give the team members room to grow and be able to handle more tasks and also more complex tasks. If growth or creativity is restricted, team development is likely to be stunted. Identify the mistakes as they come along, but support the team through them. Mistakes are part of the game.

Training of team members: It is important to train the staff members. A well trained staff member should always know what their role is, and how they function in the team. Untrained members not only slow down the team, and minimize efficiency, but they can cause a strain on other team members.

Rewards: Individual rewards like raises and bonuses or an extra day. off may be given; however, they should be used only when truly earned. Group rewards can be a little bit more difficult, but a simple lunch can be just as rewarding and motivating as a bonus.

Communication: Communication is a key part of any relationship. Well organized team meetings are a great place to open communication and review any problems that may be hindering the team. Everyone should be given chance to talk and raise issues, and 'these issues should be addressed.

Accessibility for team members: Team members should feel comfortable enough with you that they feel they can confide their troubles with you. Make sure that you take everyone’s feelings into account.

Conclusion

In modem practices, veterinary medicine involves much more than veterinarians, and there are a wide range of staff that are responsible for everything from patient care to hospital management. From kennel staff to veterinarians, each individual plays a vital role in protecting an animal’s health.