Category Archives: One Health

Since June is Adopt a Cat Month, I normally write my four weekly blogposts in June specifically about cats. Today, I am breaking that tradition because of an important disease affecting both cats and dogs that has recently appeared in the United States: the new world screwworm (NWS). For many months, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been warning Americans about the new world screwworm. This parasitic fly is in Central and South America, but recent cases have been moving north. Government officials have been predicting the arrival of the new world screwworm in the United States, and on June 3, 2026, it was identified in a calf in Texas for the first time in 60 years. Please note: New World Screwworm’s arrive in the United States is an evolving situation. For the latest information and updates, please visit the USDA’s website.

Recent headlines about Hantavirus have understandably made many people anxious. There are several reasons for the concern. First, there is no treatment for the virus, and infection carries a high mortality rate. Second, after living through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all a bit more on edge with reports of emerging viruses. Finally, Hantavirus has been relatively unknown until recently, when it was implicated in the death of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman’s wife and now to illnesses aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. As a veterinarian, I thought it would be helpful to explain what Hantavirus is, how it spreads and whether pet owners should be concerned about their dogs and cats.

The nature versus nurture debate has captivated scientists since the 1800s, when Gregor Mendel cultivated peas in his garden while Charles Darwin explored the world aboard the HMS Beagle. This enduring discussion centers on the relative importance of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) in shaping an individual's traits and behaviors. In my last blogpost, I wrote about genetic mutations in pets. These mutations—like those causing stumpy tails in Manx cats, extra toes in polydactyl cats, or drug sensitivities in pets with the AMC transporter mutation—demonstrate how genetics shape our animals’ appearance and health needs. But what about nurture? How does the environment our pets share with us impact their well-being?

Since 2022, there has been an ongoing epidemic in wild birds of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the United States. In the press, this virus is often referred to by its acronym, HPAI, or its influenza virus A subtype, H1N5. This epidemic has spilled over into domestic birds like chickens, turkeys and ducks. Mammals have also been infected with HPAI, including large cats like cougars and tigers, small cats, a smattering of wildlife and the occasional human being. While the outbreak is concentrated on the West Coast and in the Midwest, all 50 United States have reported cases of avian influenza. With all this going on, I am worried about bird flu in my canine and feline patients, and that’s the topic of today’s blogpost.

On September 28th, we celebrate the 102nd birthday of Louis Pasteur by honoring his pioneering work in developing a vaccine against rabies. The anniversary of his birth has been designated World Rabies Day in remembrance of Dr. Pasteur and the millions of lives he continues to save with the rabies vaccine.