Our four-legged companions and the wild animals that populate our planet are increasingly developing diseases we thought were reserved for humans.
Domestic animals like dogs and cats, but also dairy cows and sea turtles, are showing increasing rates of cancer, obesity, diabetes, and joint problems. This rise in non-communicable diseases across different animal species raises fundamental questions about our understanding of health in the animal kingdom. Researchers are finding that these chronic conditions, once considered typically human, are now affecting very diverse animal populations, from pets to the wild species most distant from our daily lives.
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Analysis of available data reveals that genetic predisposition is a determining factor in the emergence of these diseases. Certain animal populations show increased risks due to intensive breeding practices. Purebred cats and dogs, bred for specific physical characteristics, as well as livestock selected for high productivity, more frequently develop diabetes and heart diseases. These observations highlight the unintended consequences of our interventions on animals' genetic heritage.
Environmental pressures worsen these health risks. Inappropriate diet, lack of physical activity, and prolonged stress are now identified as common factors promoting diseases across different species. Obesity thus affects more than half of domestic cats and dogs, leading to a steady increase in feline diabetes. Farm animals are not escaping this trend, with about 20% of intensively raised pigs developing osteoarthritis.
Aquatic environments reveal equally concerning situations. Beluga whales are showing gastrointestinal cancers, while farmed Atlantic salmon suffer from heart syndromes. Wild animals exposed to industrial pollution in estuaries contaminated by hydrocarbons and chemical compounds show liver tumor rates ranging between 15% and 25%. These examples illustrate the scale of the phenomenon across different ecosystems.
Human activities play a central role in this spread of diseases. Urbanization, deforestation, and climate change intensify animals' exposure to unfavorable conditions. Ocean warming and coral degradation have been associated with higher tumor rates in fish and sea turtles. Meanwhile, heat stress and urban pollution contribute to obesity, diabetes, and immune disorders in pets, birds, and other mammals.
The study published in
Risk Analysis proposes an innovative framework to better monitor and manage chronic animal diseases. Antonia Mataragka, a researcher at the Agricultural University of Athens, emphasizes that the absence of early diagnosis systems delays the detection of these conditions in animals. While the World Health Organization provides detailed data on human mortality from non-communicable diseases, equivalent statistics for animals remain scarce, justifying more in-depth research.
The developed model integrates two complementary approaches: One Health and Ecohealth, which emphasize the interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. By combining them, this approach demonstrates how genetic vulnerability interacts with ecological and social factors to produce diseases across species. This unified perspective could help identify early warning signs of disease and reduce chronic conditions in all forms of terrestrial life.
The One Health Concept
The One Health approach represents an integrated vision of health that recognizes the close links between human health, animal health, and ecosystem health. This holistic perspective considers that diseases know no boundaries between species and that protecting public health requires a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between all living beings and their environment. Researchers and health professionals are adopting this approach to better anticipate and prevent health crises.
The fundamental principle of One Health rests on the idea that the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems is interdependent. The same pathogens can circulate between different species, and environmental changes simultaneously affect the health of all living organisms. This interconnection explains why monitoring animal diseases can provide valuable indications about emerging health risks for human populations.
The practical implementation of One Health involves close collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, ecologists, and other specialists. These professionals work together to monitor diseases, share data, and develop common prevention strategies. This transdisciplinary cooperation allows addressing complex problems like emerging diseases, antibiotic resistance, or the health consequences of environmental changes.
Concrete applications of this approach include monitoring zoonotic diseases, managing epidemics, and protecting biodiversity. By considering health as a global system, One Health provides a framework for developing sustainable solutions that simultaneously benefit humans, animals, and the environment, thus contributing to a healthier future for all forms of life.