Chapter 3 - Domestic Animal Health

Abstract

Domestic animals are critical to the fabric of human life. As seen in the artwork, domestic animals surround us, as pets for food and fiber, transportation, and recreation. Domestic animals have been present throughout the history of humankind. As humanity contends with the pressures of increasing population and demand for resources, the role of domestic species is significant to meet the rising need for food as well as the impacts agricultural systems have on the health of humans, wildlife, ecosystems, and on the domestic species themselves. This interdependence reveals how threats to the health of domestic species in turn affect human and ecosystem health. This chapter explores these challenges through the lens of One Health and the Exposome specifically addressing: (1) domestication of animals and human communities; (2) current agricultural practices and animal feeding operations; (3) climate change impacts; and (4) interactions and conflicts between domestic animals and wildlife.