Quantifying the carbon footprint of canine breed-specific surgical care in a veterinary referral setting

Breed-related procedures generate substantial carbon emissions, with pharmaceuticals and owner travel being major contributors. These findings provide a foundation for identifying environmentally impactful practices and support efforts to improve sustainability in referral veterinary care. This study also prompts broader ethical reflection on the environmental cost of inherited breed disorders, offering a new dimension to discussions on animal welfare, responsible breeding, and sustainability in companion animal medicine.