Addressing questions from owners about whether a food is safe and meets their pet’s needs can be challenging and time-consuming, as there is a significant amount of misinformation available, writes Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN. She shares examples of the criteria and questions from the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee’s nutrition toolkit to determine high-quality pet food.
Source: Clinician’s Brief, June 2020. Link. Providing vetted resources and specific guidelines to help owners make improved food choices can strengthen the clinician–owner relationship and avoid well-intentioned but ill-informed — and possibly inadequate — food choices for pets.
Communication with owners should focus on information gathering as a team approach instead of applying terms like “good” or “bad” to different food choices.”
INSIGHTS: Since this article was published, the number of pet food brand and ingredient choices has grown exponentially. Whether veterinary clinic or retailer, Linder shares how to help owners make good decisions about pet food.