Implementing a Nutrition Management Program in Your Practice

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Julie Churchill, DVM, PhD, DACVIM 
Professor, Veterinary Nutrition; Associate Medical Director
Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Minnesota

Dr. Julie Churchill received DVM from Michigan State University and completed combined residencies and her PhD program in small animal internal medicine and clinical nutrition at University of Minnesota. Dr. Churchill is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. She serves as director of the Nutrition Service and Associate Medical Director at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. Dr. Churchill is passionate about all aspects of clinical nutrition including its role in maintaining wellness and preventive care, obesity prevention and treatment, the nutrition needs of geriatric patients, management of kidney diseases, and critical care nutrition. She is teaches practical ways to integrate nutrition into the care of every patient. She is the past-president of the Pet Nutrition Alliance (PNA), is on the Board of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and is advocating for a global pet obesity initiative.

Seminar Day-Thursday, November 16th

Implementing a Nutrition Management Program in Your Practice

Nutrition management is one of the most impactful ways to mitigate disease and help clients keep their pets healthy for years to come. But pet owners don’t always look to the veterinary team as a source of nutrition guidance and information. Learn how to make your veterinary team the preferred nutrition resource for your clients. Discover the ins and outs of implementing a nutrition management program in your practice, including how to collect nutrition history, promote proper nutrition, demonstrate the behaviors that support healthy diet, and make personalized recommendations that meet the needs of each patient to ensure they live their best lives through great nutrition.

8:00 am-9:00 am
Onsite attendees: Registration and Continental Breakfast
Online attendees: Log into WebEx
9:00 am-9:50 am- Top 5 Tips for Good Nutrition
Since all animals eat and pet owners love to feed them, ensuring pets receive excellent nutrition, in adequate amounts helps them lead a long and healthy life. Yet educating pet owners can seem like a daunting task. This discussion will help veterinary teams leverage their efforts by employing the top 5 things they can do to integrate great nutrition in primary care of healthy pets. 
After participating in this session, you will be able to:
-Implement these 5 nutritional tools in clinical practice
-Use nutrition resources provided

9:50 am-10:00 am-Break

10:00 am-10:50apm- Feeding Pets to Thrive Throughout Life - Healthy Beginnings in Their First Year
Nutrition can be the cornerstone of preventive care programs in clinical practice. Meeting a pet’s optimal nutritional needs requires simple tools to assess each pet and adjust nutritional recommendations at each milestone in their development to maintain health and delay or prevent diseases.  Integrating nutrition protocols in the care of small animal patients will help develop a partnership between owner, veterinary healthcare team and lead to healthier pets. This session highlights the nutritional changes that occur throughout a pet’s life stage, and how to meet these needs for optimal health.
After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
-Discuss nutritional life stage needs
-Implement resources to address changing nutritional needs proactively throughout life

10:50 am-11:00 am-Break

11:00 am-11:50 am- Weighty Matters: When they Stray - You Identify an Overweight Pet
Despite the knowledge that unhealthy weight gain contributes to comorbid conditions, reduced mobility, comfort, quality of life and lifespan, the prevalence of overweight pets continues to rise in the US pet population. The complex nature of this problem can challenge the success of treatment plans. Taking an individualized approach to weight management by partnering with pet owners and engaging and empowering the whole team are keys to successful preventive actions as well as successful weight loss and maintenance. Individualized nutritional plans will not only improve the health of the patient but also the relationship and satisfaction of clients.

Part 1: Communicating with Clients-The Tough Topic of How to Broach and Partner with Them

11:50 am-12:45 pm-Lunch

12:45 pm-1:35 pm - Part 2: Nuts and Bolts of a Weight Management Program
After participating in these two sessions, attendees will be able to:
-Discuss the prevalence of overweight and obesity in pets
-Use communication tips to help the veterinary healthcare team build better relationships
to engage and empower cat owners to partner in their pet’s care.
-Utilize resources to develop an individualized nutritional treatment plan
to optimize health and quality of life of overweight pets

1:35 pm-1:45 pm-Break

1:45 pm-2:35 pm- Cook or Not to Cook - Pros and Cons of Homemade Diets
A review of the benefits, risks, and strategies for selecting home-cooked diets for pets will be discussed. Strategies for discussing home-cooking options with pet owners and available resources will be discussed. Simple tips for assessing whether a diet is balanced will be discussed. Case examples will be included to illustrate tips and strategies.
After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
-Review a recipe for a quick assessment of nutritional ‘red flags’
-Develop some tips for talking with clients candidly about whether cooking is right for them
-Assess adherence to home cooked diets

2:35 pm-2:45 pm-Break

2:45 pm-3:35 pm- Hungry for More? - Your Nutritional Questions and Concerns Addressed
This interactive discussion will focus on practical tips to overcome barriers or enhance conversations with clients and successful nutrition integration in the care of patients.
After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
-List the barriers and have solutions to common nutrition questions
-Recall practical resources for application of clinical nutritional care of patients

 The Fall Staff Seminar is Generously Sponsored by