The U.S. veterinary medical profession contributes to society in diverse ways, from developing drugs and protecting the food supply to treating companion animals and investigating animal diseases in the wild. In a study of the issues related to the veterinary medical workforce, including demographics, workforce supply, trends affecting job availability, and capacity of the educational system to fill future demands, a National Research Council committee found that the profession faces important challenges in maintaining the economic sustainability of veterinary practice and education, building its scholarly foundations, and evolving veterinary service to meet changing societal needs. Many concerns about the profession came into focus following the outbreak of West Nile fever in 1999, and the subsequent outbreaks of SARS, monkeypox, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, highly pathogenic avian influenza, H1N1 influenza, and a variety of food safety and environmental issues heightened public concerns. They also raised further questions about the directions of veterinary medicine and the capacity of public health service the profession provides both in the United States and abroad. To address some of the problems facing the veterinary profession, greater public and private support for education and research in veterinary medicine is needed. The public, policymakers, and even medical professionals are frequently unaware of how veterinary medicine fundamentally supports both animal and human health and well-being. This report seeks to broaden the public's understanding and attempts to anticipate some of the needs and measures that are essential for the profession to fulfill given its changing roles in the 21st century.

Research in veterinary science is critical for the health and well-being of animals, including humans. Food safety, emerging infectious diseases, the development of new therapies, and the possibility of bioterrorism are examples of issues addressed by veterinary science that have an impact on both human and animal health. However, there is a lack of scientists engaged in veterinary research. Too few veterinarians pursue research careers, and there is a shortage of facilities and funding for conducting research. This report identifies questions and issues that veterinary research can help to address, and discusses the scientific expertise and infrastructure needed to meet the most critical research needs. The report finds that there is an urgent need to provide adequate resources for investigators, training programs, and facilities involved in veterinary research.

This book addresses the continued lack of the diversity in veterinary medicine, the least inclusive of all medical professions. Effective navigation of the complexity of diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine requires clear enumeration, recognition, and understanding of key issues, challenges, and opportunities. In a nation with rapidly changing demographics, public needs and expectations of the veterinary profession will continue to evolve. A more diverse scientific workforce is required to feed the veterinary profession, not just for the purposed of equity, but as necessity for its sustainability and relevance.The book lays out the history of diversity in the veterinary profession, in the context of historical changes and actions within US society. An overview of selected strategies from dental, pharmacy, and (human) medical schools is then offered. The impact of social constructs on career interest development is explored using the examples of race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Practical strategies for attracting preschool through undergraduate students to careers in the veterinary profession are presented, as well as metrics and tools to assess the impact of diversity and inclusiveness strategies. A systems approach to diversity and inclusiveness in the veterinary profession is called for in a manner that frames barriers as opportunities for improvement and progress. There is much that needs to happen to achieve professional inclusiveness and cultural competency, but the path to achieving this is clear. System-wide commitment, planning, execution, and continuous assessment will position the profession to better suit the population of the nation and the world that will be served. This is book is a call to action for consistent championship and cohesive approaches, and it provides a road map to building a sustainably inclusive future.

A practical guide to identifying risks in veterinary patients and tailoring their care accordingly Pet-specific care refers to a practice philosophy that seeks to proactively provide veterinary care to animals throughout their lives, aiming to keep pets healthy and treat them effectively when disease occurs. Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team offers a practical guide for putting the principles of pet-specific care into action. Using this approach, the veterinary team will identify risks to an individual animal, based on their particular circumstances, and respond to these risks with a program of prevention, early detection, and treatment to improve health outcomes in pets and the satisfaction of their owners. The book combines information on medicine and management, presenting specific guidelines for appropriate medical interventions and material on how to improve the financial health of a veterinary practice in the process. Comprehensive in scope, and with expert contributors from around the world, the book covers pet-specific care prospects, hereditary and non-hereditary considerations, customer service implications, hospital and hospital team roles, and practice management aspects of pet-specific care. It also reviews specific risk factors and explains how to use these factors to determine an action plan for veterinary care. This important book: Offers clinical guidance for accurately assessing risks for each patient Shows how to tailor veterinary care to address a patient’s specific risk factors Emphasizes prevention, early detection, and treatment Improves treatment outcomes and provides solutions to keep pets healthy and well Written for veterinarians, technicians and nurses, managers, and customer service representatives, Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team offers a hands-on guide to taking a veterinary practice to the next level of care.

The confirmed case of "mad cow" disease (BSE) in June 2005 illustrates the economic impact of disease outbreaks, as additional countries closed their markets to U.S. beef and beef products. Emerging diseases also threaten public health-11 out of 12 of the major global disease outbreaks over the last decade were from zoonotic agents (that spread from animals to humans). Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing Animal Diseases finds that, in general, the U.S. animal health framework has been slow to take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies being used now to protect public health; better diagnostic tests for identifying all animal diseases should be made a priority. The report also recommends that the nation establish a high-level, authoritative, and accountable coordinating mechanism to engage and enhance partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies, and the private sector.

AAP Prose Award Finalist 2018/19 Management of Animal Care and Use Programs in Research, Education, and Testing, Second Edition is the extensively expanded revision of the popular Management of Laboratory Animal Care and Use Programs book published earlier this century. Following in the footsteps of the first edition, this revision serves as a first line management resource, providing for strong advocacy for advancing quality animal welfare and science worldwide, and continues as a valuable seminal reference for those engaged in all types of programs involving animal care and use. The new edition has more than doubled the number of chapters in the original volume to present a more comprehensive overview of the current breadth and depth of the field with applicability to an international audience. Readers are provided with the latest information and resource and reference material from authors who are noted experts in their field. The book: - Emphasizes the importance of developing a collaborative culture of care within an animal care and use program and provides information about how behavioral management through animal training can play an integral role in a veterinary health program - Provides a new section on Environment and Housing, containing chapters that focus on management considerations of housing and enrichment delineated by species - Expands coverage of regulatory oversight and compliance, assessment, and assurance issues and processes, including a greater discussion of globalization and harmonizing cultural and regulatory issues - Includes more in-depth treatment throughout the book of critical topics in program management, physical plant, animal health, and husbandry. Biomedical research using animals requires administrators and managers who are knowledgeable and highly skilled. They must adapt to the complexity of rapidly-changing technologies, balance research goals with a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements and guidelines, and know how to work with a multi-generational, multi-cultural workforce. This book is the ideal resource for these professionals. It also serves as an indispensable resource text for certification exams and credentialing boards for a multitude of professional societies Co-publishers on the second edition are: ACLAM (American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); ECLAM (European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); IACLAM (International Colleges of Laboratory Animal Medicine); JCLAM (Japanese College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); KCLAM (Korean College of Laboratory Animal Medicine); CALAS (Canadian Association of Laboratory Animal Medicine); LAMA (Laboratory Animal Management Association); and IAT (Institute of Animal Technology).

In a study of the issues related to the veterinary medical workforce, including demographics, workforce supply, trends affecting job availability, and capacity of the educational system to fill future demands, a National Research Council committee found that the profession faces important challenges in maintaining the economic sustainability of veterinary practice and education, building its scholarly foundations, and evolving veterinary service to meet changing societal needs. This report seeks to broaden the public's understanding and attempts to anticipate some of the needs and measures that are essential for the profession to fulfill given its changing roles in the 21st century.--Publisher's website.