Human and veterinary medicine

Theme issue will look at ways in which doctors and vets can work together

Traditionally, human medicine and veterinary medicine tend to be viewed separately. Doctors treat people, and vets look after animals. Of course differences exist between the two types of patients and options for treatment. Euthanasia, for example, tends not to be looked on favourably in humans, whereas in veterinary medicine it might be the best approach. Similarly, culling infected individuals or those suspected of being infected is not an option for controlling an outbreak of infectious disease in humans but may well be so in animals. Doctors usually have the advantage over …