One Health Heroes, October 1, 2025: Pet food, Pandemics, and Parasites

In this episode of Your Vet Wants You to Know: One Health Heroes, Dr. Brittany Lancellotti welcomes back Dr. Mandy Sorensen, communications specialist with the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians (AAFSPHV) to discuss urgent updates on screwworm, the ongoing avian influenza (H5N1) outbreaks, food safety risks with raw pet diets, and recent vaccine policy changes at the federal level.

This conversation highlights why veterinarians, healthcare providers, and pet owners must stay vigilant and informed as these One Health challenges evolve.

Key Takeaways

• Screwworm approaching the U.S. border: Detected just 70 miles south of the U.S.–Mexico border, raising concerns for livestock, wildlife, and even companion animals.

• Avian influenza cases rising: Nearly 600,000 birds affected in the last 30 days, with confirmed infections in poultry and dairy cattle. Heightened vigilance is essential for both producers and pet owners.

• Mutations & reassortment risks: Every new infection is another chance for the virus to mutate. Seasonal flu vaccination in people can reduce the risk of co-infections that fuel reassortment.

• Raw food diets pose real risks: A new peer-reviewed study published in Communications Biology confirms that harmful, and often drug-resistant, bacteria were cultured only from raw diets—not from kibble. Freeze-dried products may also be raw, even if not labeled.

• Policy and vaccine updates: New members appointed to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), raising concerns about future recommendations. Families are urged to consult trusted pediatricians and physicians directly.

• Scratching the Itch: The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released new One Health Guidelines to help veterinary teams apply cross-disciplinary principles in practice.

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Our vision is for Your Vet Wants You to Know to be a resource for veterinarians to improve client communication by introducing a discussion about a common topic during the vet visit, then directing the client to a reliable source of engaging, understandable, and accessible information.

By doing so, we strive for: 1) increased pet health literacy among pet owners, 2) improved partnership between clients and the veterinary team, 3) improved medical outcomes for pets, and 4) improved quality of life and efficiency for veterinarians.

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