The Veterinary Oath: Protecting Pets & People

Have you ever read a copy of the Veterinary Oath?
This is what is says:

“Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.”

When the veterinary oath talks about the promotion of public health it means that it is my responsibility to protect people from diseases they could catch from animals. These diseases are called zoonoses. In working with dogs and cats, some of the most significant zoonotic diseases are intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms. Ticks that bite both animals and people transmit other significant diseases such as Lymes disease, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis. Pets are a source of comfort and companionship for people. They should not be the cause of stress or worry about giving diseases to you or your children. As a mother of three young boys, I am very passionate about making sure our pets are parasite free! I want to take this opportunity to tell you that zoonotic diseases are preventable! Keep your dogs and cats on a parasite preventative that deworms them every month and if your pets go in areas where they are exposed to ticks, use a tick preventative such as Revolution for cats and Vectra 3D for dogs. Dogs should take a Trifexis tablet once a month and cats should use Revolution to prevent intestinal worms. For more information about zoonotic diseases visit the web site for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevetnion at www.cdc.gov/healthypets Another great web site is the Companion Animal Parasite Council at https://www.petsandparasites.org/