Industry Training Small Animal Nutrition

This course provides comprehensive knowledge of small animal nutrition. This discipline has advanced exponentially during recent years. It is now well recognised, both by veterinary staff and pet owners, that optimal feeding plays a vital role in helping to reduce the risk of common health problems at different life stages. Nutrition is also vital to convalescence and management of a wide range of clinical conditions.

Providing the correct nutritional advice is now considered to be a very important aspect of pet care. The task of formulating a feeding plan is often delegated to nursing staff who are directly involved with the care of hospitalised patients. Veterinary nurses. Veterinary nurses/technicians/paraprofessionals also play an important role in communicating with owners and providing feeding advice for pets at home.

The course will review and improve the learner’s understanding and knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of small animals in relation to pet nutrition and introduce students to basic nutrition and life-stage feeding of dogs, cats, and exotic pets.

It provides participants with the opportunity to study a wide range of pet food choices, complete nutritional calculations and interpret commercial labels, as well as familiarising delegates with new diets such as raw meaty, vegetarian, and vegan so they can discuss these options in a constructive and non-judgemental way.

Included is an introduction to the concepts of key nutritional factors so that delegates can use this knowledge to offer sound nutritional advice and formulate optimal feeding pans for well pets and those affected by a range of frequently encountered clinical conditions.

This is an interactive course in which topics and practice cases are presented and explained by the instructor. The course is made up of four two-day attendance courses. The modules should be taken in order to allow delegates maximum benefit from the programme. For those wishing to complete the whole course and sit the final examination, you must complete all four two-day modules within three years.

This course is suitable for veterinary nurses/technicians/paraprofessionals.

Electronic and downloadable comprehensive course notes are provided for each module via our online platform Moodle. Refreshments are available throughout the day and lunch is included on all face-to face modules.

The tutors for this course include Clare Spencer, Veterinary Surgeon and Affairs Manager for a premium pet food manufacturer, Frances Dunn, Internal Medical Consultant for Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, and Richard A. Saunders, Veterinarian at Bristol Zoo Gardens and Clinical Teacher at the University of Bristol.

The course is taking place in Swindon, UK, from 9 October 2023 - 29 May 2024. IT consists of 8 modules, to achieve a NCert/ VPPCert in Small Animal Nutrition, and costs £2839 to attend.

The programme course fees include registration with ISVPS and all the examination and assessment fees. Delegates will also be provided additional study skills sessions aiding the delegate to develop their reflective skills. This will help them in their clinical assessments and revision of their learning, which can be used within their future career.