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Message from the President

Megan Sprinkle, DVM

Dear Colleagues,

Planning is underway for our 2024 Symposium!

I hope you will join us for 1.5 days of CE programs, networking (and, of course, lots of fun) in Minneapolis, MN this coming June.

Abstract submissions will be accepted between December 1 and February 9- details are below.

AAVN is also planning a summer nutrition conference for veterinary technicians, August 9-10, in Mystic, CT. The goal of this program is to provide attendees with the knowledge and skills to conduct nutritional assessments in their practice.

We look forward to sharing more details about both of these educational offerings very soon. Please help to spread the word and encourage friends and colleagues with an interest in veterinary nutrition to attend!

In this season of gratitude, I am thankful for all that you do to make the AAVN an innovative and vibrant organization. It is truly a pleasure to work with so many smart, interested, and engaged individuals.

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome. Please do not hesitate to be in touch at aavnexecutive.org

Best Thanksgiving Wishes,

Megan Sprinkle, DVM

24th Annual Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium

Call for Abstracts

Submissions for both oral and poster abstract presentations will be accepted between December 1, 2023 through February 9, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST.

Abstract submissions for the AAVN Symposium should be high level, cutting-edge, new-to-the-field, technical topics that meet the education criteria of our members in any area related to basic, applied, or clinical nutrition in companion animals (dogs, cats, exotics), horses, livestock, or wildlife. Research studies, individual or population case reports, and novel investigations or findings are welcome. The program is open to all veterinarians, researchers, graduate students, residents, interns, and college students studying veterinary or animal sciences.

The Abstract Review Committee considers all completed applications received prior to the deadline of February 9, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the status of their submission via email in early March. Upon submission, please ensure you are available to participate in the conference in June.

Two types of research abstract communications will be available:

Oral Presentation: Strictly limited to 15 minutes (12 minutes to present, 3 minutes for questions)

Poster Presentation: Available for viewing throughout the meeting.

To review the full Call for Abstracts click here

Please note that active AAVN membership is required for presentation consideration. To join AAVN, click here

AAVN October/November Webinars

Thank you to Drs. Laura Eirmann, Lisa Weeth, and Marie Francesca Menniti - our speakers for the most recent webinars. Recordings are available to AAVN members. Please email us at aavnexecutive@gmail.com to request links.

Member Spotlight:

Robin Saar, RVT, VTS (Nutrition)

How long have you been a member of the AAVN? I have been a member of the AAVN for about 5 years.

What company or organization do you work at right now? I work for AnimalBiome in the veterinary division.

What are 2 things that you really like about your current job?

I really like creating materials to support microbiome education of both veterinary professionals and their clients. I also enjoy discussing nutrition with practitioners across North America who recommend a variety of diets. This really encourages me to be flexible and think about nutrition in a bigger capacity including feeding the whole pet.

What have been your top 2 professional achievements?

1. Completing a textbook. Being my first, and the first complete textbook on small animal microbiomes, there was a lot of initial research and challenges that I had to overcome while working full time and completing other speaking and writing opportunities.

2. Creating a Nutrition Ambassador role and Nutrition advocate program for a large Canadian corporation. I did not work for this company and reached out with a proposal for the creation of the position. It was wonderful to see the program grow and the advocates gain confidence when talking about nutrition.

So far in your career, what has been the best animal nutrition related experience? One memory I have is of a husky/mixed dog with hair loss and raised, scaly skin on his face. The vet-tech team were gathering supplies to complete skin scrapings, along with other diagnostics. “Oh wow! A zinc deficiency case!” I exclaimed. The vet paused and laughed. The client expressed their financial limitations with the veterinarian when discussing the diagnostics and initial treatment. I shared that they could start by supplementing the dog's diet with zinc and monitor for results. The client's face filled with gratitude. It’s these small moments, when something as simple as a single nutrient improves the lives of both the patient and the client, that I treasure the most.

Who has made the biggest impact on your career in animal nutrition?

I have been fortunate to have had many impactful people in my animal nutrition career. Initially, Laura Tomm, Dr. Paige Golden, and Dr. Helen Newton were people who encouraged my journey through the VTS program and ensured that I was successful. Dr. Helen Newton has continued to support me by being my biggest cheerleader (except for my family). Her support was a large part of my application - and acceptance - into the Animal Nutrition Master of Science program at Glasgow University.

What do you hope to see as part of the future for animal nutrition?

The future of animal nutrition is an exciting place to be. I hope to see the ingredients in pet foods evolve to meet environmental needs – what we are seeing now I think is in the infancy of what will be. Looking at new ingredients and/or new production methods through sustainable methods I think will continue to be a part of animal nutrition. Additionally, I believe the evolution of probiotics in the next decade will experience a shift as we learn more about microbiomes. This field will need to update some definitions and possibly create new categories of bacteriotherapy – of which nutrition supports. Finally, I think we will start to look at feeding the whole pet, considering gut microbiome health as part of diet formulation and creation.

If you could work with a nutrition colleague in your practice for a week, who would you invite to join you, and why? I think it would be interesting to experience a week at a large university hospital, research facility, zoo, or wildlife park with any of our esteemed fellows. 

Please share something about yourself that none of your nutrition colleagues already know. I am a horse crazy girl at heart. My passion for nutrition started at 12 years of age when I began to compete in equine endurance and competitive trail 20- and 50-mile competitions. This was the first time I had to look at nutrition as complex and having possible health outcomes beyond over- or under-feeding. The family I rode with was very forward thinking about animal health, and behavior and encouraged thinking beyond the norm. 

Member Research in the News

The second half of 2023 remains an active time for AAVN members to author nutrition books. Our new member-at-large, Robin Saar, and Dr. Sarah Dodd co-authored Small Animal Microbiomes and Nutrition. Interestingly, Robin and Sarah are also members of the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition.

We’re glad to recognize AAVN members who have successfully published an original research article, textbook chapter, case report, or review paper. Do you have research to share? Contact us at aavnexecutive@gmail.com

Veterinary Innovation Summit

by Megan Sprinkle, DVM

Between October 9-11, I traveled to Kansas City, MO to join other animal health professionals who are fascinated by what the future holds for animal care.

The event was called the Veterinary Innovation Summit and it was hosted by the Veterinary Innovation Council and supported by NAVC. As a non-CE event, it attracted people with a dedicated interest and investment in innovation.

The keynote speakers had impressive backgrounds and reputations. Quite a few speakers came from human health. I appreciated the opportunity to think with a One Health mindset and learn from adjacent industries. We were able to see what is in store for medicine next year, the next decade, and beyond.

You, like me, know the value of nutrition in health. In some ways, we have innovated before many others in animal health, like our use of teleconsulting.

Change is inevitable, however, it's our choice to be part of influencing the change. This summit demonstrated that creative thought and collaboration can make a huge difference in supporting patients and their families. 

Professor Shafi Ahmed, MD was a keynote speaker at the Veterinary Innovation Summit.

AAVN Student chapters may request up to $500 annually to support chapter activities.

Only active student chapters may apply. Active student chapters are those who have submitted a list of current officers and faculty advisors with contact information by October 15 of this calendar year.

New student chapters who have submitted their draft constitution to the AAVN Student Committee for review are also eligible for funds if a list of officers and faculty advisors with contact information has been sent to AAVN. 

Requests for funding must include: 

• Date of the fund request
• Name of the student chapter
• Primary student contact and faculty advisor, with email and phone information
• Date(s) of the activity/event
• Amount requested and budgeted expenses
• Description of the activity including goal(s) and anticipated outcome(s)

There is no deadline for funding requests. Please submit to aavnexecutive@gmail.com. 

Student Chapters receiving funds will be required to: 

• Submit a write-up (250 words MAX) of the event or activity, including photos, for the AAVN e-newsletter. This summary is due within 1 week after the event/activity and can be sent via email to aavnexecutive@gmail.com

• Create a social media post that includes photos. This post must be shared within 1 week of the event/activity. This event can be shared on Instagram or Facebook pages by the student chapter or sent via email aavnexecutive@gmail.com.

• Provide receipts to the AAVN Executive Director following the event.

Ideas for Student Chapter Activities

Feeding Tube Lab, (this could be small or large animal depending on what the chapter has access to and what they think would be best for their students) 

Body Condition Score Lab, (can be large or small animal focused) 

Homemade Diet Lab, practice using software for clinical cases

Food Slurry Lab, Practice making food slurries and calculating kcals and/or other nutrients from the slurries for practice clinical cases

Forage Analysis Lab, a great way to focus on equine nutrition

Case Example Lab, practice figuring out which commercial diets [over-the-counter or therapeutic] would be best for different clinical cases

Treat Baking Night, gather members of the club together to make healthy, pet safe treats

On the Menu:

Veterinary Nutrition Facts

from the Experts



Calling veterinary nutrition specialists, PhDs in animal nutrition, industry experts and VTN (Nutrition) colleagues!. We have started a new initiative to collect tidbits of nutrition advice from all of you. 

Share a tiny piece of your expertise here

From there, our social media team will curate a graphic for your submission. We soft launched this program earlier this summer and cannot wait to see YOUR entry!

Please take a moment to complete this form!

CGS Monthly Virtual Rounds

Comparative Gastroenterology Society Webinars offers monthly webinars the First Thursday of each month 4-5PM ET (excluding February, July & August)

For more details click here

Save the Date!

European Workshop on Equine Nutrition

July 1-4, 2024

Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway

Look out for information on abstract submission, conference schedule and registration in Autumn 2023 on the EWEN website.