Benefits include but are not limited to :
• An increased likelihood of owners disclosing a detailed and accurate ( dietary ) history to VNs rather than to veterinary surgeons .
• The ability to offer more time and cost-effective care
• The generation of additional revenue
• A potential increase in owner compliance
• An increase in job satisfaction , respect , appreciation and recognition , leading to happier colleagues
• The enhancement of the profile of the VN role among the general public .
VNs can play a key role in nutritional assessment , nutritional recommendation and follow-up ( Corbee et al ., 2019 ) and are critical in providing information exchange with clients ( Johnson & Linder , 2013 ). As such , those with a special interest in nutrition are well placed to act as nutrition champions – promoting the inclusion of nutritional assessment as a standard component of patient care and helping reinforce good nutritional practice throughout the veterinary clinic .
Conclusion
Veterinary healthcare teams are expert sources of the information needed by owners for optimal pet nutrition . Direct nutritional education – using a team approach , multiple client contact points and available nutrition tools – can help to better educate clients about pet nutrition . Offering food and seeing it eaten is a primary means of human expression of care , so educating owners about appropriate feeding protocols and diet choices helps preserve the bond between pets and their owners . Clients who understand that preventive care preserves and lengthens their relationship with their pets are more likely to use veterinary services regularly , so team members should focus on proper nutrition for every patient that presents to their practice .
Life-stage nutrition tailors dietary requirements to optimise longevity , performance and health and to prevent disease . A ‘ one size fits all ’ approach to the nutritional support of cats and dogs is not appropriate . A nutritional assessment , with identification of any risk factors , is essential as part of wider , regular health screening . Good nutrition is not a fad – it is good medicine and good business . As Hippocrates is famously quoted as having said : ‘ let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food ’.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dr Cecilia Villaverde Haro , BVSc , PhD , DACVN , DECVCN , and Dr Marge Chandler , DVM , MS , MANZCVS , DACVN , DACVIM , MRCVS , for their opinions on Part 1 and Part 2 of this article .
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