Veterinary epidemiologists monitor animal populations to protect human and animal health, responding to disease outbreaks, participating in clinical trials, and working with public health officials. They can be employed by government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and animal welfare organizations. Their work focuses on limiting the outbreak of disease and controlling it when it occurs, as diseases in animal populations can be transmitted to humans and have an economic impact. They also provide public awareness and education, develop treatments for sick animals, and monitor drugs after approval.
A veterinary epidemiologist monitors animal populations to protect human and animal health. Work may include responding to disease outbreaks, participating in clinical trials and working with public health officials. People in this field can be employed by government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and animal welfare organizations. In many regions, you must be a licensed veterinarian with clinical experience to work as an epidemiologist, and some employers prefer job applicants with specific experience and training in the field of epidemiology.
The health and welfare of animals is a matter of concern for a number of reasons. Diseases in animal populations can be transmitted to humans, whether it be influenza viruses in birds or drug-resistant bacterial infections in food animals. Poor health among animal populations can also have an economic impact; for example, if a population of feed animals has to be destroyed due to a foot-and-mouth outbreak. The veterinary epidemiologist works to protect the interests of humans and animals, with a focus on limiting the outbreak of disease and controlling it when it occurs.
Certain animal diseases may be subject to mandatory reporting, where farmers, veterinarians and others who come into contact with sick animals need to file a report with a veterinary epidemiologist. These healthcare professionals track reports, respond to disease outbreaks, and manage investigations. In the event of a known disease outbreak, the veterinary epidemiologist can manage the response plan to control it. With unknown illnesses, the job may require some investigation to find out what’s going on and develop a way to manage it.
Veterinary epidemiologists can provide public awareness and education, particularly for those who work with animals. They can discuss common diseases, ways to prevent them, and how to identify them when they emerge in animal populations. This can be of particular concern with animals that are transported and sold, such as meat animals that may be shipped to distant feedlots or animals used in research that could otherwise be imported from outside the country. If infected, they could spread disease to new populations and cause a public health crisis.
Another aspect of the work may focus on developing treatments for sick animals. Clinical trials may involve a veterinary epidemiologist and monitoring may occur after drugs are approved for sale. If a pattern of adverse reactions, unusual drug interactions, or other problems begins to emerge, the drug may be subject to review to determine whether it needs additional warnings or should be withdrawn from the market.
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