Amy Farcas, DVM DACVN takes on perceptions that veterinarians do not know much about nutrition. She presents a strong case that veterinarians’ nutrition deficiencies are not knowledge-based. Instead they represent a communication issue.
Source: Dr. Andy Roark, March 10, 2016.
While nutrition is absolutely present in the veterinary curriculum in the US, talking about nutrition: not so much, with the exception of teaching by a few of my very proactive colleagues. It’s been up to vets to learn it on their own. By far, the vast majority of veterinarians that I talk to who’ll say that they “don’t know anything about nutrition” are actually able to make perfectly reasonable nutritional recommendations in most instances, but where they fall down is in answering the pet owner’s question about why they made the recommendation. They haven’t had the practice. It’s not a knowledge issue, it’s a communication issue.
INSIGHTS: Clear communication about diets is not limited to veterinarians. Nutrition and supplement company representatives, need to view veterinary technicians, retail associates and dealer personnel as potential advocates. People talk about what they know. If you don’t help practice or retailer personnel understand your products, it’s not likely they’ll help you sell them.