Animals often live in the same environments as humans, sharing surfaces, air, water, food and contaminants. For this reason, they can act as biological sentinels, making visible environmental exposures that would otherwise remain silent.
In the case of pesticides and antiparasitic products, the relationship between direct use, secondary exposure, indoor residues and environmental dispersion deserves particular attention. Veterinary clinical evidence may become a useful signal for interpreting the chemical quality of domestic, rural and peri-urban environments.
A veterinary toxicology oriented toward environmental health should integrate adverse-event monitoring, residue assessment, protection of non-target organisms and the study of transfers between animals, humans and the environment.
Animals are not only recipients of health protection: they can contribute to the understanding of emerging risks, providing the One Health paradigm with a concrete observational basis.