Veterinarians will soon be better equipped to educate owners on the nutritional needs of companion animals, thanks to a new global partnership. Pet food company Royal Canin has joined forces with the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) to support the Global Nutrition Committee (GNC), a group that raises awareness of the role of nutrition in companion animal health and provides veterinary health teams with up-to-date recommendations. “Misinformation about pet nutrition is widespread, creating a confusing landscape not only for pet owners, but also for veterinarians looking for a credible source of information,” says Royal Canin’s global scientific affairs manager, Thomas Brenten, DVM, MS, MANZCVS. “The GNC is a lighthouse, providing unbiased tools and resources reflecting the current state of knowledge. This is invaluable.” The committee offers a regularly updated toolkit of resources for veterinary teams, which includes educational content that can be shared with clients. Additionally, GNC promotes the importance of performing regular nutritional assessments and advocates for the inclusion of nutrition as a component in all veterinary and veterinary nurse/technician curricula. “GNC is one of our longest-established clinical committees,” says WSAVA’s president, Shane Ryan, BVSc (Hons), MVS, CVA, GradDipAnimChiro, MChiroSc, MRCVS. “Through the advocacy of its members and the resources it creates, GNC raises awareness of the central role of nutrition in companion animal health globally and advances the role of the veterinary health-care team as the expert source of information for optimal pet nutrition.”
