Course Open: April 1, 2020-May 2, 2020
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, April 8, 15, and 22, 2020; 8:30-10:00pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter Level and Prerequisites: This basic course will be open to veterinary technicians/technologists and support staff actively interested in current trends and topics in nutrition.
VSPN CE Course: “This program has been approved for 4.5 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval."(22-39783) Course Description:
There is so much information that pet owners are bringing to the healthcare team and every day there seems to be new information. This course will help attendees to understand and confidently address some of the misperceptions pet owners bring to the hospital team. We will look at ‘hot topics’ in veterinary nutrition and discuss some of the new trends that are happening in veterinary nutrition. We will also look at ways to overcome objections, make a specific pet food recommendation, how to talk with owners who ‘know nutrition’, etc. Additionally, with so many products the pet food market is confusing. We will investigate how marketing plays a role and how misperceptions are perpetuated and cut through some of the ‘noise’ in the pet food world, to help veterinary teams make a patient specific recommendation with every patient, every time they visit the hospital. Week 1 (Real Time Session April 8): Nutritional Myths and Misperceptions
Required Reading:
- Chapter 12 – Pet Food Labels
- Chapter 30 – Nutrition Myths and Misperceptions
- Understand pet food labels.
- Identify Myths in vet nutrition.
- Debunk common myths in vet nutrition with data.
- Confidently communicate facts to pet owners.
- Communicate the importance of nutrition with clients.
Required Reading:
- Grain-Free Diets and Dilated Cardiomyopathy – Winter 2020, Today’s Veterinary Nurse
- Chapter 25 – Adult Maintenance in Dogs
- Chapter 26 – Adult Maintenance in Cats
- Chapter 41 – Cardiac Disease
- Identify key nutrients for adult dogs and cats.
- Identify nutritional risk factors that predispose patients to cardiac disease.
- Demonstrate understanding of DCM and its relation to BEG diets.
- Address the misperceptions for which owners believe grain free is better.
- Communicate the findings of the FDA research to date regarding BEG diets and DCM.
Required Reading:
- Chapter 18 – Feeding regimens
- Chapter 31 – Nutritional Support
- Article – The Dreaded Question: What should I feed my Pet? Clinician’s Brief, February 2015.
- Identify resources available to assist with making a pet food recommendation.
- Demonstrate knowledge of which questions to ask a pet food manufacturer.
- Identify protocol for a nutritional food trial by pet food manufacturers.
- Perform a nutritional history.
- Demonstrate confidence in making a pet food recommendation.
- Prepare for potential objections from clients.
To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate. Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Recommended Textbook: Wortinger A, Burns KM. Nutrition and Disease Management for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses.2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell. 2015. Ames, IA About the Presenter:
Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition) is the Founder and President of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians (AVNT). As an LVT with two master's degrees - physiology and counseling psychology, she lectures internationally and has authored many articles and textbook chapters on nutrition. Kara sits on many national boards and committees. She was recognized as the NAVTA 2010 Veterinary Technician of the Year and was the 2011 Dr. Franklin Loew Lecturer. She was awarded an honorary VTS by the Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians and the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians. Total CE Credit: 4.5
Tuition: $95 ($85 early bird special if enrolled by March 18, 2020)
* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
Prices are listed in US dollars. *To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on April 8, 2020 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached. *For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center. To Enroll:
- Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
- Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
- Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
- For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
VSPN CE Coordinator VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357