Waste not want not: piloting a clinical waste audit at a United States university veterinary teaching hospital.

Biomedical waste is a well-recognized environmental problem, yet less is known about the waste generated in the delivery of veterinary care compared to human medicine. The objective of this project was to develop and pilot a waste audit protocol for veterinary medicine that could inform waste management at a US university veterinary teaching hospital and the broader veterinary community. We conducted a multi-day review of the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital's small animal surgery and anesthesia units to measure the types and amounts of waste generated during routine surgeries.

A Systematic Review of Environmental Sustainability in Veterinary Practice.

A transition toward environmentally conscious business practices is underway in many sectors. For healthcare, the topic is both concerning and tragically ironic as hospitals have substantial environmental footprints, which are now known to contribute to significant health problems that the system itself was designed to treat. The human medical field has been proactive in taking steps to reduce waste and carbon emissions by identifying best practices to minimize such impacts.

Environmental Sustainability in Veterinary Medicine: An Opportunity for Teaching Hospitals.

Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats of the twenty-first century. Recent surveys of veterinary students and practicing veterinarians have highlighted their concerns about the impacts of climate change on animal health and a strong desire to be knowledgeable about the practice and promotion of environmental sustainability within clinical practice. Most American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited veterinary schools have a veterinary teaching hospital (VTH) where veterinary students receive their core clinical education.

Client Choice May Provide an Economic Incentive for Veterinary Practices to Invest in Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Change Education.

To assess how pet owners perceive the role of veterinary medicine in addressing climate change and animal health and determine if there is a client-driven economic incentive to establish sustainable veterinary business practices. 1,044 dog and/or cat owners residing in the United States who had used veterinary services within the last 3 years. An online Amazon mTurk survey about climate change and the perceived effects on client-owned dogs and cats was distributed to pet owners.