Before the Bowl

My Summer in Clinical Pet Nutrition and Research

My Summer in Clinical Pet Nutrition and Research

We are excited to highlight another research student from the summer semester! Julia had the opportunity to work with our clinical pet nutrition team and wants to share her experience! Read more about her experience this summer in our latest blog post.

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My Experience as the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Summer Student

My Experience as the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Summer Student

As we conclude our summer semester, we are excited to spotlight another one of our summer research students. Tonia spent her summer with the OVC Pet Nutrition Team, diving deep into the world of pet nutrition with the support of Hill’s. Her journey was filled with learning, growth, and unforgettable experiences.

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My Summer as the Nestlé Purina Summer Student 

My Summer as the Nestlé Purina Summer Student 

My name is Alison Ng, and I’m currently a second-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). This summer, I had the privilege of joining OVC’s Clinical Nutrition Service as the Nestlé Purina Summer Student. My activities for the summer included attending rounds in the morning, shadowing procedures, participating in consultations, and working on my research project. 

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Part 2: Nutritional Management for Bladder Stones in Dogs

Part 2: Nutritional Management for Bladder Stones in Dogs

Bladder stones can be a recurring nightmare for our furry friends. The clinical signs of bladder stones, different types of stones, and causes on stone formation were discussed in the previous Before the Bowl Blog “Part 1: Guide to bladder stones in dogs". But did you know that nutrition can make a world of difference? In this blog post you will learn about dietary strategies that can help to prevent bladder stones from re-occurring, and how to support your dog’s urinary health. 

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New publication: Comparison of the fecal microbiota of adult healthy dogs fed a plant-based (vegan) or an animal-based diet 

New publication: Comparison of the fecal microbiota of adult healthy dogs fed a plant-based (vegan) or an animal-based diet 

We are excited to announce a new publication! Brooklynn Liversidge and colleagues recently published their new article Comparison of the fecal microbiota of adult healthy dogs fed a plant-based (vegan) or an animal-based diet in Frontiers in Microbiology. Read on for a short summary of their research and findings below.  

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New publications: Treat feeding with dogs and cats

New publications: Treat feeding with dogs and cats

We are excited to announce four new publications from our colleagues in OVC’s Department of Population Medicine! Dr. Shelby Nielson, Dr. Deep Khosa and others recently published several articles surrounding their research on treat feeding.

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New publication: Description of the fasted serum metabolomic signature of lean and obese cats at maintenance and of obese cats under energy restriction

New publication: Description of the fasted serum metabolomic signature of lean and obese cats at maintenance and of obese cats under energy restriction

We are excited to announce a new publication! Dr. Caitlin Grant and colleagues recently published their new article “Description of the fasted serum metabolomic signature of lean and obese cats at maintenance and of obese cats under energy restriction” in PLOS ONE. Read on for a short summary of their research and findings below.

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The Scary Truth About Pet Obesity

The Scary Truth About Pet Obesity

Did you know that October is National Pet Obesity Awareness Month? While some extra weight on your pet might not seem scary, pet obesity is a wolf dressed in a sheep costume! Read on to learn about how to prevent obesity in your pets!

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For the Love of Bones

For the Love of Bones

Learn about the pros and cons associated with giving your dogs bones! This blog post dives into some popular bone options available on the pet food market, as well as tips for giving your dog bones safety.

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Introducing… Alicia Lorch!

Introducing… Alicia Lorch!

This summer, the OVC Pet Nutrition Team welcomed a new member, Alicia (RVT, CCRVN)! We sat down with Alicia to learn more about her veterinary background, interests and pets!

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Pancreatitis in Dogs

Pancreatitis in Dogs

Pancreatitis is a condition that all dog owners should have on their radar. To learn more about what it is, what risk factors to be aware of, and how nutrition can play an important role in the prevention and management of pancreatitis, check out our blog post

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Feline Hepatic Lipidosis

Feline Hepatic Lipidosis

This blog post goes into detail on one the common liver diseases in cats: Feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL), also known as fatty liver disease. If you'd like more information on what exactly FHL is, the clinical signs to watch out for, what to do if you suspect your cat may have this disease, and how to treat and prevent it, give this a read!

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Introducing….. Kehan (Coco) Zhang

Introducing….. Kehan (Coco) Zhang

Hello! I would like to formally introduce myself to everyone. My name is Kehan (Coco) Zhang, I am a new master’s by thesis student with the Pet Nutrition team at OVC Clinical Studies and one of the students in Dr. Verbrugghe’s team. 

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Carbs & Dogs

Carbs & Dogs

Carbohydrates are a major component within the diet for both humans and dogs. However, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets have become popular for pet owners and their dogs. This has led some pet owners to believe that carbohydrates are not necessary, or potentially harmful to feed to their dogs.  

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How do you feed your pet?

How do you feed your pet?

Does your pet gobble down their food and beg for more? Do they wake you up early every morning wanting breakfast? Are they displaying other destructive or disruptive behaviours? Changing how you feed can help both you and your pet by slowing food consumption, encouraging them to use their brain to solve problems, and alleviating boredom. 

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Dermatitis: Nutrition’s role in itchy pets

Dermatitis: Nutrition’s role in itchy pets

Dermatitis is a skin condition resulting in hair loss and itchy, often dry or blistered skin. This is a very common concern in dogs and cats, in fact surveys have found that it is the most common reason for visits to the vet. There are many causes of dermatitis in pets, but nutrition can play a role in both development and treatment of this condition. Dermatitis can be uncomfortable for your pet and frustrating to treat, it will require you to work closely with your vet to help your pet feel more comfortable. 

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Nutrition in Training

Nutrition in Training

We know that taking home a dog is a lifelong commitment. A trained dog is a happy dog, with ongoing training a cornerstone of that lifetime of care. With more families welcoming dogs into their lives for the first time, some basic nutrition training tips can help keep them healthy in both mind and body.

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Beyond the Label

Beyond the Label

Reading a Pet Food Label is a Skill – do you have it? There is a lot of information presented to you on a pet food label, and not all of it is all that important. We have created a detailed guide to interpreting all the sections on a pet food label for you to help you decipher pet foods going forward. Check out the Guaranteed Analysis, Ingredient List, and spot the Nutritional Adequacy Statements! Link in our bio to read on

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Can the Easter Bunny Share his Carrots?

Can the Easter Bunny Share his Carrots?

Happy Easter! The carrot is a nutrient-dense root vegetable that is high in fibre and several vitamins, including Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Carrots are considered a healthy food for humans, but have you ever wondered if they are healthy for your pet too?  

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Bringing Home a Puppy!

Bringing Home a Puppy!

It’s National Puppy Day!!! To celebrate, we created a guide to help new puppy owners ensure they are ready for their puppy’s arrival. This guide includes information for: What you will need for your puppy Choosing a food for your puppy How to transition your puppy to a new diet

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Introducing… Jessica Fletcher!

Introducing… Jessica Fletcher!

With a new school year starting, we are excited to introduce you to our new team members who have joined us this fall! We will be interviewing our new team members to help you become acquainted with them as professionals, students and people. Welcome Jess!

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Probiotics 101

Probiotics 101

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of animals houses a wide range of microorganisms. It has been estimated that the total number within the intestine can reach up to 100 trillion microbial cells, representing most of the host’s microbial genome (Suchodolski, 2020).  

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Introducing… Shawna Morrow!

Introducing… Shawna Morrow!

With a new school year starting, we are excited to introduce you to our new team members who have joined us this fall! We will be interviewing our new team members to help you become acquainted with them as professionals, students and people. Welcome to Shawna Morrow!

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Pumpkin as a Fibre Source

Pumpkin as a Fibre Source

It’s that time of the year again, as green leaves blossom into hues of red, yellow, and orange and the smell of pumpkin spice fills coffee shops. With autumn in the air, Halloween is just around the corner, and this means candy, costumes, and...PUMPKINS! Pumpkins are an essential part of Halloween for carving and decorating but, more recently, pumpkins have also gained increasing attention for their health benefits in humans and pets. And so, now is an excellent time to begin the conversation around the use of pumpkins as a dietary fibre supplement for pets. 

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Scoring for Health

Scoring for Health

Did you know? October is National Pet Obesity Awareness Month, so it seems fitting to explore a tool universally used by veterinary healthcare teams to assess the weight health of pets.

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Introducing… Tesa Kinasih

Introducing… Tesa Kinasih

With a new school year starting, we are excited to introduce you to our new team members who have joined us this fall! We will be interviewing our new team members to help you become acquainted with them as professionals, students and people.

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The Effect of Starch Sources on Gastric Emptying in Dogs

The Effect of Starch Sources on Gastric Emptying in Dogs

In humans, gastric emptying rates (GER) have been implicated with obesity, diabetes, and other gastrointestinal disorders. While there is extensive research investigating the impacts of dietary protein and fats on GER, there is a lack of research, specifically in dogs, that focuses on the impacts of carbohydrates. Congratulations to our research team for another publication! Taylor Richards and colleagues investigated the effects of starch sources on gastric emptying in dogs.

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Introducing…Cameron Commisso

Introducing…Cameron Commisso

With a new school year starting, we are excited to introduce you to our new team members who have joined us this fall! We will be interviewing our new team members to help you become acquainted with them as professionals, students and people.

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Highlights From AAVN: Part 3

Highlights From AAVN: Part 3

The 2021 AAVN conference was filled with a variety of insightful presentations. In continuing with our previous post, which looked at Dr. Dzanis’s presentation on the evolution of pet food regulation, we will now give a recap of Dr. Power’s presentation on the wonders of milk! 

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Highlights from AAVN: Part 2

Highlights from AAVN: Part 2

From June 2nd to June 3rd the 21st Annual AAVN Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium virtually took place and hosted a diverse set of oral abstract, poster, and keynote presentations. The presenters touched upon relevant topics affecting animal nutrition today, ranging from obesity to protein supply to the evolution of a mammal’s first diet; milk. Along with an array of informative presentations, AAVN made adequate time for virtual networking between conference participants through events such as their virtual cocktails and trivia night. 

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Highlights from AAVN: Part 1

Highlights from AAVN: Part 1

From June 2nd to June 3rd the 21st Annual AAVN Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium virtually took place and hosted a diverse set of oral abstract, poster, and keynote presentations. The presenters touched upon relevant topics affecting animal nutrition today, ranging from obesity to protein supply to the evolution of a mammal’s first diet; milk. Along with an array of informative presentations, AAVN made adequate time for virtual networking between conference participants through events such as their virtual cocktails and trivia night. 

Read more about "Highlights from AAVN: Part 1"