Education: COVID-19 Pandemic
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This video provides an introduction to the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition and describes how we will be sharing advice to help Canadian cat and dog owners during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In this video, Dr. Jackie Parr, Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® and CAVN Fellow provides detailed recommendations for Canadian cat and dog owners when it comes to pet food supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also provides a call to action for all Canadian pet owners to avoid stockpiling pet food at this critical time.
In this video, Dr. Caitlin Grant shares some excellent information on feeding pets human foods during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand Canadian pet owners may be supplementing dry or canned pet foods with human foods to make them last longer during these difficult times and there are some important things to keep in mind to avoid problems. Additionally, Dr. Grant discusses how to balance a homemade diet recipe for adult pets if you are currently feeding exclusively human foods to your cat or dog. Human foods alone will not meet the essential nutrient requirements of cats and dogs.
In this video, Shoshana Verton-Shaw shares some amazing tips for feeding your dog’s brain, especially when you are self-isolated or quarantined. Dogs that are used to going to dog parks or on hikes in public parks will need mental stimulation during this challenging time when we are all focused on staying home. Watch the full video for lots of tips and tricks!
Canadian pet owners are facing financial challenges across the country due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. One of the things you can do to make sure your pet’s food lasts as long as it should, is to use a kitchen gram scale to measure your pet’s food by weight. Two different research studies have shown using a measuring cup to measure kibble portions by volume is incredibly inaccurate! Measuring cups often result in overfeeding, which is why Dr. Jackie Parr, is a fan of #BanTheCup (check out her blog on this topic)!
During this difficult time, it is also important to avoid underfeeding our pets to be sure they remain as healthy as possible while veterinary clinics are only able to see emergency appointments. At least 90% of a pet’s daily calories should come from a complete and balanced diet to prevent nutrient deficiencies (check out Dr. Parr’s blog on the 10% rule for more information).
In this video, Dr. Allison Wara provides some important tips for transitioning your pet to a new food if your pet’s regular food is not available at this time. Of course, if your pet has a medical condition, you should contact your veterinary team to determine what the best option is for your pet if you are unable to locate your regular food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lobbying Efforts
The CAVN fully supports the ongoing efforts of the Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC) as they continue to lobby to ensure pet food manufacturers and locations where pet foods are sold (e.g. pet stores, veterinary clinics) remain considered essential services across Canada.
Nutritional Assessment
Do you have 7-minutes?
It will take just 7-minutes to watch this video produced by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and it’s totally worth your time to learn just how easy it is to incorporate a nutritional assessment into your routine for every patient.
Without a nutritional assessment you can’t give your best diet recommendation and your clients really want your expert input!
Call to Action from the CAVN!
We encourage everyone on the veterinary healthcare team to develop their nutrition assessment skills – your clients will thank you and their pets will directly benefit from your advice.
Veterinary Nutrition Blogs
Weeth Nutrition (Dr. Lisa Weeth, Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist®): https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/
Petfoodology (Dr. Lisa Freeman and Dr. Debbie Linder, Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists®): http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/
The Kibble QueenTM (Dr. Jackie Parr, Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist®): https://kibblequeen.com/
The Skeptical Vet (Dr. Brennen MacKenzie): http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
Websites for Veterinary Health Care Teams and Pet Owners
WSAVA Nutrition ToolKit: https://www.wsava.org/Guidelines/Global-Nutrition-Guidelines
Pet Nutrition Alliance: https://www.petnutritionalliance.org/
American Animal Hospital Association: https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/nutritional-assessment-configuration/nutritional-assessment-introduction/
AAFCO Talks Pet Food: https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/
FDA Pet Food: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-food-feeds/pet-food
FDA Pet Food Recalls: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/recalls-withdrawals
Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC): www.vohc.org
Supplement Evaluation
ConsumerLab.com: https://www.consumerlab.com/
US Pharmacopia: https://www.usp.org/
National Animal Supplement Council (NASC): https://nasc.cc/
Vitamin-Mineral Supplements formulated by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists
BalanceIt (www.balanceit.com) – canine and feline products made in the USA
Chef Canine Complete (www.mypetgrocer.com) – adult dog and puppy products made in the USA
Cuisine-a-Croc (www.cuisine-a-crocs.com/en/) – canine and feline products made in France
Integrative Veterinary Innovations (www.iViblend.com) – canine and feline products made in the USA
Wagtritious (www.wagtritious.com) – canine products