Ringworm, Rubber Gloves, and One Health: Lessons in Fungi
If you’re reading this, chances are you care deeply about the health of pets, people, and the planet—and you’re in exactly the right place. On November 3, the global community will mark One Health Day, a celebration of how the health of humans, animals, and our shared environment are intimately connected.
At my own clinic, I’ve personally seen how connected human health and animal health really is — sometimes in ways that made me laugh later (once the panic passed). I’ll never forget the day a client called in a frenzy because her kitten had tested positive for ringworm. She’d already bleached her house twice, was wearing rubber gloves to answer the phone, and had convinced herself she was next. Sure enough, a few days later, she and her toddler showed up with the telltale red circles.
That moment drove home what One Health is all about—how a tiny fungal spore can jump from pet to person to household, reminding us that our work as veterinarians extends far beyond the exam room. Every sneaky zoonosis we prevent protects not just our patients, but the families who love them.
From Clinic to Community: Why One Health Belongs on Your To-Do List
We all know the human-animal bond is strong, but One Health takes that a bold step further. It reminds us that when we care for pets, shelters, livestock, and wildlife, we’re also caring for human well-being and the health of our environment. The themes behind One Health highlight issues we tackle every day: zoonotic disease, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, environmental changes, and more.
As a practice owner, manager, or clinician, your team is uniquely positioned at the intersection of those three spheres: human, animal, and environment. Whether you’re treating a dog with a zoonotic disease, counseling a pet owner about indoor vs. outdoor exposure, or managing shelter animals, your work contributes to much bigger outcomes than you might see in a single exam room.
Three Simple Ways Your Practice Can Champion One Health
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Tell the story. Use your client communications—social posts, lobby signage, email newsletters—to highlight One Health Day. Share a fun fact: “Did you know more than half of all known infectious diseases in people can spread from animals?” Invite your community into the conversation.
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Elevate your team. The One Health approach is inherently multidisciplinary. Recognize your techs, assistants, CSR team, and everyone who works behind the scenes. Host a quick “One Health check-in” at a staff huddle: what cross-discipline connections did we make this week? Who helped someone else shine? Where do we need more internal education for our team?
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Bridge practice and planet. Pick one small “eco-health” win for your practice: maybe it’s switching to digital forms to reduce paper waste, promoting tick and mosquito prevention in your region, or coordinating with a local shelter or wildlife group. Highlight how these actions support both animal health and broader public health.
Supporting the Mission: Shepherd’s Role in One Health
At Shepherd, we’re passionate about making veterinary care easier and more impactful. And when it comes to One Health, we know you need tools that help you work smarter—so you can spend more time on meaningful connections and less time wrestling with inefficiencies.
Whether it’s automating client outreach and reminders so you’re catching preventive care early, enabling telehealth or remote consults to reduce unnecessary travel, or integrating seamlessly with pharmacy, lab, and referral systems so you’re collaborating deeply, we’ve got you covered.
From Awareness to Action
Celebrating on November 3rd is fantastic, but real transformation happens when you make it part of your year-round mindset. Here are a few questions your team can ask:
- What partnerships, within and beyond our clinic, can we build or strengthen in the next 12 months?
- How can we use our data—this year’s visits, diagnostics, and preventive care uptake—to identify community health opportunities?
- How can we make environmental or cross-species health considerations part of our standard client conversations?
Because One Health isn’t just a day—it’s a movement. And veterinary practices that lean into it will shine as leaders.
Every Exam Room Tells a Bigger Story
So on November 3rd, take a moment with your team to reflect on how you’re part of something bigger. The next time you treat a patient with a seemingly small problem, remember my ringworm story. What started as one fungal-covered kitten turned into a family-wide science lesson (and a lot of bleach). It was an all-too-real reminder that our work doesn’t stop at the exam table.
Every vaccine, prevention plan, and client conversation ripples outward—protecting pets, people, and the planet we share. Use this One Health Day to mark your commitment, start a conversation, and chart a bold path forward.
Here’s to brighter connections, healthier communities, and maybe a little less bleach next time. Happy One Health Day!
