Tag Archives: environment

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?

November 3, 2018, marks the third annual One Health Day, a global campaign celebrating the need for a One Health approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface.