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Message from the President

Megan Sprinkle, DVM

Dear Colleagues,

Big update! In 2025, the AAVN Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium will take place on Saturday, June 21. 

As many of you know, we have long offered our program the Wednesday before the ACVIM Forum. This new schedule will better align with the changes in nutrition as a specialty under ACVIM and make it easier for many of you to attend both conferences and events. In addition, a Saturday offering will allow some of our members and potential future members to attend while taking minimal time away from their workplaces.   We are still planning to hold our AAVN Party – now on Saturday evening - and will be offering a few student programs in the afternoon on Friday, June 20.

This change coincides with the 25th anniversary of our Symposium. It’s a time to reflect on all of the amazing relationship-building and knowledge-sharing that have occurred as a result of this symposium.  

We look forward to celebrating with you in Louisville, KY!

Thank you!

Megan Sprinkle, DVM, ACVIM (Nutrition), President

In humans, food allergies (FA) are divided into those with an IgE-mediated (immediate FA), cell-mediated (delayed FA), or both mechanisms (mixed FA). In dogs, lymphocyte stimulation tests have the highest concordance with oral food challenges (OFC). 

Nextmune isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and automatically counted them before and after a 5-day culture with food allergens. Stimulation indices (SI) were then calculated (ratio of cell counts after allergen challenge versus saline controls). Food allergen-specific IgE was quantified using the Pet Allergy Xplorer (PAX). A cutoff SI value of 3.0 was chosen after doing this lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT) in ten healthy laboratory beagles. None of 25 healthy pet dogs had an SI greater than the chosen 3.0 cutoff, indicating a specificity of 100%. Of 55 dogs with FA diagnosed by veterinary dermatologists, 44 had a delayed FA (80%). Of these 44 dogs, an LPT was done in 28. All these 28 dogs had at least one positive lymphocyte stimulation to a food item causing delayed flares after OFC; the sensitivity of this test for the identification of delayed canine FA was thus 100%. The LPT correctly identified 57/68 food items that caused delayed flares after OFC (84%). The PAX was negative for food-specific IgE in 18/28 dogs (64%), as expected for delayed FAs. In three dogs (11%), PAX results overlapped with those of the LPT, suggesting a mixed FA. In conclusion, FAs with delayed reactions after OFC, those suspected of having a cell-mediated mechanism, seem to be the most common type of FA in dogs. The LPT is helpful in identifying such cases.

Thierry Olivry, DrVet, PhD, DipACVD, DipECVD graduated from the University of Toulouse, France, and completed a residency and PhD at the University of California Davis. He is a Diplomate of the ECVD and the ACVD. After 28 years as a clinician-scientist in veterinary dermatology and allergy at the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Olivry left Academia and moved back to Europe to live in Riga, Latvia. In November 2022, he became Head of Research & Development at Nextmune, a multinational animal health company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Swanson Lab Presents Research at the

American Society of Animal Science Conference

For a full reports by Lizzy Geary and Sofia Wilson click here

I’m Lizzy Geary, a PhD candidate in Dr. Swanson’s lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My research focuses on the effects of different dietary formats on digestibility, fecal microbiota and metabolites, as well as other aspects of canine health. I’ve always had a love for dogs, so when I was in high school in Cincinnati, OH, I started fostering service dogs in training through 4 Paws for Ability. The first service dog I raised, Tiago, was a Golden Retriever with a very sensitive stomach. After discovering his specific dietary needs, I became interested in canine nutrition. Two service dogs-in-training later, I was at the university and started taking animal nutrition classes; by the fifth service dog, I started grad school in companion animal nutrition. 

Hello Everyone! My name is Sofia Wilson and I was born and raised in the Chicago area. As a life-long animal lover I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I worked in Dr. Carl Parson’s Poultry Nutrition research lab as an undergraduate, where I first gained an interest in animal nutrition. I received my bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences in 2016, then went to work for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) before returning to UIUC for graduate school in 2019 to study with Dr. Kelly Swanson. As an animal scientist, my mission is to give pet owners the information they need to make evidence-based decisions for their pets. Currently, I’m a PhD candidate preparing to defend my dissertation within the next year, and then I would like to transition to a role in the pet food industry. In the Swanson lab, all graduate students are investigating the effects of diet on gastrointestinal microbiota community composition and activity (i.e., metabolites, fermentative end-products). Graduate students in our lab evaluate a wide variety of dietary interventions in pets, such as novel protein ingredients, feed additives, diet processing conditions, and “biotics” (either probiotics, prebiotics or postbiotics). My own research investigates the role of Bacillus spp. probiotic supplementation on fecal characteristics, digestibility, gastrointestinal health, and immune response in dogs.

New AAVN Veterinary Nutrition Workshop for Technicians to Debut in April

AAVN is excited to announce a new program! In April 2025, we will host our first ever workshop designed specifically for veterinary technicians. Attendees will earn 13 RACE approved CE credits. They will also have the opportunity to form a network of technicians in their region that they can connect and consult with on nutrition and other topics.  

Sponsorships Available! Pet food and related service companies - we want the technicians to meet you! Companies are invited to provide sponsor a meal/other item and have a table at the event. More details coming soon!

AAVN's goal is to offer this program on a regular basis in different regions across the United States.

AAVN Membership Information

The new membership year started on July 1.

Please renew now to continue receiving member benefits:

• Access to the AAVN Membership Directory 
• Free webinars on cutting edge veterinary nutrition topics (4 per year)
• Discounted registration for the Annual Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium
• Access to “Members Only” information on the AAVN website, including Symposium proceedings and recordings
• Monthly E-Newsletter 
• Access to the AAVN List Serve (includes job and training posts)
• Opportunity to submit research abstracts for consideration at the annual Symposium

Remember to renew before 9/1.

After that date, a late fee of $20 will be assessed.

 To Renew Your Membership



• Sign in to the AAVN website
• Your username is your email address
• If you don't remember your password, you may use the automated password reset request
• Click on Invoices and Payments and process payment for your open membership invoice 

If you have any difficulty signing in or with the renewal process, please contact us at aavnexecutive@gmail.com.

Summer Students at OVC

By Sarah K. Abood, DVM, PhD

Many of our colleagues working in academic institutions have the opportunity each spring to hire, train, and mentor an undergraduate or veterinary student for 10 to 15 weeks during the summer months. Assigned projects or activities are short term and, in some universities, there is an expectation that the hired student will complete a research project and make a poster or oral presentation before returning to their degree program. This is exactly what happens at the Ontario Veterinary College and this spring our nutrition group received funding for 3 students (1 more than last summer).

To learn more about our experience, click here

For anyone interested in taking a virtual tour of the Food Science facilities in the Ontario Agricultural College, please allow yourself at least 15-20 minutes to read through all the great information at this link.

WSAVA Nutrition Committee Seeks New Members

The WSAVA Nutrition Committee is looking for new members and, while a diverse geographical and vocational spectrum is desired, all interested parties without direct industry connections are encouraged to apply. 



Click here to learn more.

Reminder to AAVN Student Chapters! Your membership roster, including a list of officers and advisor(s), is due by October 15.  

This should be submitted as an Excel spreadsheet with columns for First Name, Last Name, Email Address and Phone #. Please email Jen at aavnexecutive@gmail.com with any questions.

2nd Year veterinary students are invited to apply to serve as the AAVN Student Representative

Applications are due by September 25.  For more details click here

"Serving as the AAVN Student Representative has been the best decision I've made in my veterinary career so far. The hands-on experience of working on projects that contribute to the larger goal of promoting animal nutrition has made me feel like I’m truly making a difference at my school. Attending executive board meetings and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the work in this field has given me valuable insights that aren’t covered in school. Being part of the AAVN conference this summer not only solidified my passion for nutrition but also allowed me to connect with some of the most inspiring veterinarians and students in the field. I highly recommend becoming an AAVN Student Rep!"

~ Rocio Maria Peralta, 3^rd Year Veterinary Student, University of Wisconsin

Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition 

Fall Webinar Schedule

October 9, Pet Food Labeling - Dr. Jenna Manacki

October 16, Lifestage nutrition - Dr. Caitlin Grant

October 22, Acute diarrhea management without antibiotics - Robin Saar, RVT, VTS Nutrition

October 30 - Protein - Dr. Younes Chorifi (in French!)

The CAVN Fall Webinar Series is hosted on the Communivet platform.

The webinars are free but registration is required at https://www.communivet.com/en/ca/.  

Upcoming CE Opportunities

ACVIM On Demand Course

A Comprehensive Approach to Enteral Feeding: When, Why, How

For more information and registration click Here

KibbleCon 2024 October 23–24, 2024

Kansas State University campus, Manhattan, Kansas

For more information and registration, click here

Veterinary Education Today (VET)

November 1-2, 2024

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

For more information and registration, click here

Fetch West December 6-8, 2024 Long Beach, CA

For more information and registration, click here

VMX Veterinary Meeting & Expo

January 25-29, 2025

Orlando, FL

For more information and registration, click here

WVC Annual Conference

March 2-5, 2025

Las Vegas, NV

For more information and registration, click here

Classified Ads

The Division of Veterinary Resources (DVR) within National Institutes of Health. This is a contracted consultant advisor position in support of the NIH Animal Program Director’s Feed and Bedding Subcommittee (90% remote). Duties include:

• establish surveillance parameters, contract requirements, and program dynamics within the allocated budget;
• provides expert guidance to improve NIH nutrition program and provide consultation services to specific research studies when requested by investigators;
• interpret feed and bedding analysis reports and provide guidance on steps to take to refine standardized diet requirements.   

Full details are available here. Please contact Bart Ransone, DVR’s Operations Specialist for the Statement of Work. bart.ransone@nih.gov, 301-594-0167.

The Veterinary Nutrition Service at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine is hiring for a Veterinary Nurse/Veterinary Technician. The primary purpose of this position is to provide veterinary nursing care within the Nutrition service by evaluating patients and developing appropriate diets, including special formula diets, weight loss diets and educational resources to stakeholders under the supervision of an overseeing supervisor or service clinician. The successful candidate will confer with owners and area veterinary clinics, initiate in-house consultations, arrange food/formula orders, and collaborate with pet food companies. They will also coordinate pet food sales and participate in nutrition research studies. The position demonstrates ownership and provides input on management of patient care, development of procedures and policies for services and is an integral part of client and student education. The position also supports teaching efforts by instructing students, interns, and residents. 

Depending on experience and qualifications of the successful candidate, the individual will be hired in as a Veterinary Nurse 1, Veterinary Nurse 2, Senior Veterinary Nurse 1, or Senior Veterinary Nurse 2.

The full position announcement is posted for review.

https://ut.taleo.net/careersection/ut_system/jobdetail.ftl?job=24000001JN&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York

Please reach out to Maryann Murphy directly with any questions. may also reach out to me directly with any questions.

Nutrition Residency Position at University of Guelph The OVC Pet Nutrition Team in the Department of Clinical Studies at the University of Guelph is excited to announce an opening for a Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) position in Companion Animal Nutrition. This position is kindly sponsored by Royal Canin. The program is designed to provide advanced clinical training and research experience, meeting the requirements for eligibility for the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition. For more details, click here.

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