Normalize pet nutrition conversations at every veterinary visit

As pet obesity rates continue to climb nationwide, nutrition is top of mind for pet owners and veterinarians alike.

The Purina Institute Handbook of Canine and Feline Well-Pet Nutrition, launched in August, provides evidence-based recommendations for veterinary care teams to help them prioritize pet nutrition in practice. The handbook is available for free with a sign-up for scientific communications from the institute.

The handbook cites a May 2023 Purina Institute survey, which showed 96% of pet owners said they trust their veterinarian for pet nutrition advice, but only 22% of veterinary professionals have proactive conversations about nutrition at most visits.

The Purina Institute Handbook of Canine and Feline Well-Pet Nutrition explores specialized nutrition to support pets throughout their lifespans, including breed-specific needs and age spans from pediatric to geriatric, as well as working dogs, shelter pets, and reproducing and lactating pets.

"Nutrition also brings the pet pleasure, positively reinforces the human-animal bond, and helps owners express love to their pets," according to the introduction. "As we continue to recognize the integral role that pets play in our lives, it is essential to acknowledge the importance of proper nutrition in ensuring their health and longevity."

Pet nutrition

Developed with contributions from 54 experts across 20 countries, the 322-page handbook covers nutrient fundamentals in small animals, specialized nutrition guidance by life stage, proactive nutrition recommendations for various health benefits, and other practical tools.

For example, Dr. Yuki Okada, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist in San Francisco, in the guide calls protein "undoubtedly the most critical macronutrient in the nutrition of both dogs and cats, serving as the primary source of amino acids and nitrogen for various physiological functions."

The recommended protein intake is approximately 4 g/kg of body weight for senior dogs and about 5.2 g/kg for senior cats, according to the handbook, unless kidney disease necessitates certain restrictions.

Cats, as obligate carnivores, have significantly higher protein needs than dogs to maintain a constant state of gluconeogenesis that meets energy demands.

And senior pets may need up to 50% more protein than younger adults to counteract age-related muscle loss.

Overall, geriatric pets experience physical, functional, and metabolic changes that are still amenable to nutritional intervention to improve health and quality of life. A cohesive framework of nutritional prioritization and planning can aid in managing comorbidities in geriatric pets, according to the guide.

The section on proactive strategies covers the impact nutrition has on everything from oral and gastrointestinal health to joint, behavioral, and urinary health.

In addition, a table of ingredients commonly found in dental diets, treats, and chews, such as folic acid or polyunsaturated fats, shows the respective modes of action.

Client conversations

The handbook calls for veterinary care teams to have "a well-stocked communication skill toolkit" on hand to equip conversations with clients about pet nutrition.

A picture of bent legs in a cat that was fed a nutritionally imbalanced diet as shown in the Purina Institute handbook. (Courtesy of Dr. R.J. "Ronald" Corbee of Utrecht University in The Netherlands)

"Clients want to be partners in their pet's veterinary care," the handbook states. "Clients that understand the beneficial outcome for their pet (the 'why' behind recommendations) are more likely to adhere to plans of care."

Or, talking about pets' skin and coat health, an overall health indicator, is also a great conversation starter.

The section also addresses some common communication challenges and how to navigate them, including client resistance, skepticism, and the perception that a discussion on pet foods is driven by financial motivations and wanting to "make a sale."

Veterinary professionals need to be prepared to confront and correct misinformation, as well as disinformation, differentiated as "false or incorrect information that is shared with an underlying intent to mislead."

Care teams can counter misinformation by proactively discussing and providing resources on common nutritional myths. This is known as inoculation or "prebunking" with "cognitive antibodies," with the aim of making pet owners more resilient to nutritional misinformation in the future.

Practical tools

Beyond nutritional science, the handbook offers 25 "Practical Tools," including a fecal scoring chart with pictures and descriptions of different stools.

It also includes guidance on feeding "finicky" felines, managing cat allergens through nutrition, and selecting products marketed as supplements, as well as scoring charts for assessing body and muscle condition.

"It has been reported that pet owners tend to underestimate the body condition of their pet, emphasizing the importance of equipping every team member to perform and teach body condition scoring (BCS) and muscle condition scoring (MCS) at each visit," writes Ashley Self, assistant director of veterinary nutrition at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. "By involving the owners in the process of obtaining a body weight and estimating BCS and MCS, veterinary teams can identify trends that support proactive management while also enhancing the pet owner's understanding of what constitutes a healthy body weight, BCS, and MCS."

Veterinarians should also educate pet owners on available tools like wearable devices, litter box monitoring systems, and mobile applications that support at-home monitoring for more proactive and preventive care.

"Nutritional science has evolved significantly, and there are many facets to consider in a well-pet diet-not just from the pet's perspective, such as life stage, activity level, and body condition, but also the owner's perspective-their lifestyle, budget, and preferences," said Natalia Wagemans, MD, the institute's global head, in an August 28 press release. "This resource simplifies the process of making informed recommendations and can be a vital tool for veterinary professionals to both facilitate nutrition conversations with their clients and provide informed responses to questions."