Program for Pet Health Equity

11/04/2025

Checking in from the 2025 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo.

Come see us today at our booth and see how we can collaborate.

🗓 Tuesday, 11/4 — 10:30 AM | Exhibit Hall B — One Health Poster Session
Poster: When pet care becomes public health: A case study of Rocky Mountain spotted fever to consider a One Health approach to zoonotic disease management
— presented by Kaitlyn Davis Andres

11/03/2025

🐾 New Research

We’re excited to share this publication in our Research Topic under Frontiers in Veterinary Science:

👉 Community Perspectives on Dogs, Health Risks, and Veterinary Care Impacts in Rural Alaska (https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1602564)

This study looks at how people in Alaska’s Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta view dogs, experience challenges in accessing veterinary care, and navigate the connections between animal, human, and environmental health.

As early snow and coastal storms hit Alaska, these insights remind us how geography, climate, and community resilience all play a role in health—human and animal alike.

💬 We’d love to hear your thoughts:
How can One Health approaches help expand access to veterinary care in remote or underserved communities?

10/31/2025

Please share and help keep pets safe during the Halloween festivities

10/30/2025

🐾 PPHE is excited to be part of the APHA 2025 Annual Meeting & Expo in Washington, D.C.!

If you’ll be there, we’d love to connect! Here’s where you can find us 👇

📍 Visit us at Table #227 — Exhibit Hall (Washington Convention Center)
Stop by to meet our team, chat about how pets, people, and public health connect, and explore new opportunities to collaborate.

🗓 Monday, 11/3 — 8:30 AM | Washington Convention Center, Room 103A
Roundtable, Table 6: Exploring the link between pets and the well-being of older adults
— presented by Kaitlyn Davis Andres

🗓 Tuesday, 11/4 — 8:30 AM | Marriott Marquis — M3: Judiciary Square
Humans' Best Friends: Pets & Mental Health
— moderated by Dr. Michael Blackwell

🗓 Tuesday, 11/4 — 10:30 AM | Exhibit Hall B — One Health Poster Session
Poster: When pet care becomes public health: A case study of Rocky Mountain spotted fever to consider a One Health approach to zoonotic disease management
— presented by Kaitlyn Davis Andres

We’re looking forward to connecting with colleagues and partners working to advance health for people, pets, and communities. 💙

10/28/2025

Keeping Pets Safe At Halloween:
A Veterinarian’s Advice

🎃🐾 Halloween is around the corner — here’s how to keep your furry friends safe and comfortable!

From the team at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences:

✔️ Food + Candy Safety

Avoid chocolate, onion, garlic, xylitol (in sugar-free candy), and fatty or rich human snacks — all can be harmful to pets.
VMBS Texas A&M

Consider giving pets designated treats made just for them, or safe new chew toys (especially sturdy ones that can’t be torn apart).
VMBS Texas A&M

Pumpkins can be a healthy low-calorie treat: mostly water, good fiber, but limit to

10/10/2025

📣 Access to Veterinary Care: Insights, Barriers, and Next Steps

Join us for a special live Zoom session with the authors of Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Insights from Pet Families!

We’ll take a closer look at the report’s key findings, explore the One Health connections between people, pets, and communities, and discuss what’s next for improving access to veterinary care.

✨ Hear from the researchers
💬 Ask questions and share your ideas
🌎 Be part of the movement to make care accessible for all pet families

📅 Don’t miss this important conversation!
🔗 Register here: https://tiny.utk.edu/2025AVCReportMeetTheAuthors

09/29/2025

📣 Recent Publication!

"Creating Partnerships Between Veterinarians and Under-represented Producers"

Strong veterinary-client-patient relationships = healthier animals, stronger communities, and more equitable access to care. 🐾🌎

👉 Read the article: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1595301

💬 Join the conversation here on Facebook or in our One Health Forum: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/onehealth/register

09/18/2025

Rising heartworm threat for pets post-storms: What veterinarians want you to know

Hurricanes don’t just threaten homes. Vets say they leave pets facing hidden risks many owners overlook.

09/17/2025

In our research topic, Enhancing Veterinary Access Through One Health and Interprofessional Collaborations, in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, checkout the article, "Creating partnerships between veterinarians and underserved producers: getting started with establishing veterinary client–patient relationships".

Targeted educational outreach shows promise in creating and maintaining veterinarian-producer relationships. Knowledge gains and attitude shifts related to Veterinary Patient Client Relationships may improve animal health outcomes, resulting in more sustainable and profitable livestock operations and veterinary practices.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1595301

09/11/2025

📢 We’re excited to share our new report: Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Insights from Pet Families!

This report builds on the 2018 national study and offers an updated look at the challenges families face when trying to access veterinary services. Shifting economic conditions, changing pet family trends, and the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic all play a role in these barriers.

🐾 What we found:
• Households now have fewer pets on average (2.0, down from 2.2)
• Spay/neuter disparities persist, especially for gifted pets
• Logistical and financial barriers affect families across all income levels
• These barriers often lead to pet surrender, euthanasia, and emotional stress for families

“Access to veterinary care remains a pressing concern for families and veterinary professionals alike,” says Dr. Michael Blackwell, Director of PPHE. “This report not only identifies barriers, but also highlights opportunities for better support through community resources and integrated care.”

The findings highlight the urgent need for expanded veterinary care access, local support services, and community-focused outreach to keep pets healthy and families together.

📑 Read the full report here: https://doi.org/10.7290/r1n7sh

09/08/2025

The new AAHA One Health Guidelines (https://www.aaha.org/resources/2025-aaha-one-health-guidelines-navigating-cross-disciplinary-partnerships/) are here to help veterinary practices strengthen communication and collaboration with human healthcare professionals. When we work together across disciplines, everyone benefits—patients, families, and communities.

The guidelines highlight:
🐾 When and how to reach out to other healthcare professionals
🐾 What veterinarians need to know about HIPAA
🐾 How to build and nurture strong, collaborative relationships

Collaboration is at the heart of One Health. Have you worked with human healthcare teams to support a family and their pets? What worked well—or what challenges did you face? Share your experiences below—we’d love to hear your insights!

08/25/2025

Who gets access to vet care—and who gets left behind?
🐾 New research from Canada explores barriers and solutions.

We’re excited to share an article published in Frontiers under our Research Topic: “Access to veterinary care in Canada: A cross-sectional survey of animal healthcare organizations and interventions.”

This study looks at how veterinary services are being provided across Canada, the barriers families face, and the innovative programs working to improve access to care for companion animals.

📖 Read the article here: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1581316

💬 What do you think makes the biggest difference in improving access to veterinary care—policy changes, community-based One Health programs, or financial support models?

We’d love to hear your thoughts!
🐾 Post them here OR join our discussion in our One Health Forum, https://forum.maddiesfund.org/onehealth/home.