Challenging misconceptions: how can we rebuild owners’ trust in veterinary nutrition advice?

Have you ever offered advice to an owner on a suitable diet for their pet, only to be told that the food you’re recommending is a rip-off?

Nutrition is recognised as the fifth vital assessment after temperature, pulse, respiration and pain. In 2011, The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee provided Nutritional Assessment Guidelines, which aimed to promote the importance of nutrition in the veterinary field and advance the role of the veterinary team as the expert source of information for pet owners.

Despite this, there has been a rise in self-proclaimed ‘Pet Nutritionists’ – an unregulated title – who offer dietary advice to pet owners. As a result, pet owners often face an onslaught of contradictory information, making it challenging to determine the best diet for their pets (Schleicher et al. 2019).

Trust in veterinary professionals also appears to be at an all-time low, worsened by the recent Competition and Markets Authority report. This report has led to damaging headlines in the media, such as ‘Are vets ripping off pet owners?’ (The Independent) and ‘Quarter of UK pet owners concerned vets might over-treat, survey says.’ (The Guardian).

What’s more, a study on the knowledge, attitudes and application of nutritional assessments by the veterinary healthcare team (Lumbis et al. 2020) revealed that, despite acknowledging the importance of nutrition, there was inconsistent use of nutritional assessments in most clinical practices.

So, how can we convince pet owners that veterinary professionals are the best source of information and not just flogging a bag of food for commission? And do we feel confident in giving nutritional advice?

Our collection of new nutrition learning series aims to increase knowledge and boost confidence in discussing diets with clients and communicating effectively. By exploring clinical diets and their appropriate use, we also delve into more specific and unconventional diets, such as raw and grain-free options.

As veterinary professionals, if we can strengthen our knowledge base and improve our communication techniques to offer a balanced view of diets, we can promote better implementation of nutrition as the fifth vital assessment. In turn, we can build trust and demonstrate to clients that we are not profiteers of the pet food industry, but rather passionate advocates for an area fundamental to wellbeing, longevity, and disease prevention.