by Cathy Barnette, DVM, a paid consultant for Covetrus^®

Are you comfortable talking to clients about nutrition, or does broaching the topic make you a bit anxious?

While nutrition plays a key role in veterinary medicine, discussing the topic with clients can present challenges. After all, your clients are probably receiving a wide variety of nutrition information from pet food manufacturers, pet store employees, breeders, trainers, and internet groups. Some clients become entrenched in their beliefs, and your recommendations may be met with skepticism or even hostility. Over time, these negative interactions may decrease your enthusiasm for discussing nutrition.

Fortunately, a 2020 study found that 76% of pet owners trust their veterinarian’s nutritional recommendations and 63% of want their veterinarians to discuss nutrition at veterinary visits.¹ However, there is a gap. The veterinary clients surveyed in this study stated that nutrition is typically discussed at only one-third of their veterinary visits.¹ We must be more consistent in discussing nutrition, for the health of our patients.

Dietary Recommendations

Given the constant barrage of pet food advertisements and the prevalence of misinformation, well-meaning clients may struggle to make educated decisions about pet food. You are in a unique position to help your clients separate fact from fiction and identify high-quality, reputable diets.

One approach is to provide clients with a short list of appropriate diets that you consider to be high-quality. Steering clients towards these brands can help them avoid diets that may be problematic.

Alternatively, you can educate your clients on how they can identify a high-quality pet food manufacturer. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that clients consider the following questions when evaluating a diet:²

• Is there a veterinary/animal nutritionist on staff?
• Is the diet formulated by a trained professional?
• Does the company perform scientific research and regular quality control testing?
• Is there a nutritional adequacy statement and calorie count on the label?
• Does the label provide information about who to contact with questions?
• Is the company marketing the food the same company that manufactures the food?

Regardless of your approach, clients should leave every veterinary visit with your input on how to ensure that their pet is receiving the best possible nutrition.

Prescription Veterinary Diets

Traditionally, prescription diets are recommended to minimize signs or progression of a specific disease, such as kidney disease or osteoarthritis. With specific nutrient profiles and anti-inflammatory nutrients, these diets are designed to address a specific disease state and are often recommended when a specific condition has been diagnosed.³

Some nutritionists advocate recommending prescription diets for most, if not all, veterinary patients.³ Prescription diets make it easy to monitor a pet’s caloric intake and overall nutrition, while aiding in the prevention of obesity and other medical conditions.³ Prescription diets are typically purchased through veterinary practices, improving your ability to monitor client compliance.

Veterinary Diets and Client Convenience

Carrying prescription diets in your hospital has advantages and disadvantages. Sending a client home with a diet can aid in compliance, but clients may hesitate to feed a product that can only be purchased through repeated car trips to the veterinarian. Prescription diets also occupy valuable storage space in your hospital, and you must take steps to prevent expiration and spoilage.

Covetrus^® Prescription Management is available to address your prescription diet needs. This platform allows clients to purchase their food online, for delivery directly to their home, while keeping you informed. Not only will you keep diet-related profits within your hospital, you can maintain control and visibility of what food your client is ordering and when. Covetrus Prescription Management supports you in making the best possible nutrition recommendations for each of your patients.

About the author Cathy Barnette, DVM is a veterinarian and freelance writer, based in Southwest Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida in 2006, Dr. Barnette spent 14 years working in small animal general practice. Her current professional focus is veterinary writing, creating educational content for veterinary teams and their clients. Dr. Barnette is a paid Consultant for Covetrus.

1. Evason, M., Peace, M., Munguia, G., & Stull, J. (2020). Clients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to pet nutrition and exercise at a teaching hospital. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 61(5), 512–516. Retrieved from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7155884/
2. World Small Animal Veterinary Association (2021). WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods. Retrieved from:https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Selecting-a-pet-food-for-your-pet-updated-2021_WSAVAGlobal-Nutrition-Toolkit.pdf
3. Raditic, D., Bartges, J. (2017). Nutritionists’ View: Over-the-Counter Versus Therapeutic Veterinary Diets. Today’s Veterinary Practice. Retrieved from: https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/nutrition/focus-nutrition-nutritionists-view-counter-versustherapeutic-veterinary-diets/