{"id":10627,"date":"2022-05-23T18:06:34","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T18:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=10627"},"modified":"2022-11-17T20:55:59","modified_gmt":"2022-11-17T20:55:59","slug":"vts-in-nutrition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/personal-professional-development\/vts-in-nutrition\/","title":{"rendered":"VTS in Nutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of good health, and our patients need and deserve proper nutrition, nutritional assessments, and a specific nutritional recommendation. This belief in proper nutrition for pets has been one of my main focuses throughout my career.<\/p>\n

One of my first nutrition patients was an overweight Rottweiler named Dozer who had lost interest (i.e., energy) in playing, walks, and interacting with his owner. I have no doubt how much this owner loved this dog. Unfortunately, the dog was being overfed and <\/span>overtreated\u2014in other words, it was being \u201cloved to death.\u201d The human-animal bond was strong, and the owner <\/span>truly believed the calories given in the form of too much food and treats was reinforcing the bond. However, the truth was the bond was being damaged as Dozer was having difficulty interacting with the owner and had become severely exercise intolerant.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a lengthy discussion with the owner about health risks associated with obesity and education on the proper amount to feed, a weight-loss program was implemented. Dozer lost 30 pounds (yes, there were ups and downs, gains and losses), but the end result pointed to my \u201cwhy\u201d: Why did I go into veterinary medicine? Dozer was playing and wanting to go for walks again. His owner had her buddy back. The human-animal bond was further strengthened and the two were inseparable. Oh, and Dozer did not want for food\u2014he had his needs met with constant love and affection, as opposed to constant food. This is why I love nutrition: Proper nutrition helps manage disease conditions and keeps well pets well. Imagine being able to tell an owner that if we get weight off their overweight pet, the risk for osteoarthritis, diabetes, and respiratory issues decreases. We may also be able to help that pet live longer with a better quality of life. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 2005, I spoke to board members of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN<\/a>) and the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN<\/a>) about starting a veterinary technician specialty in nutrition. At this time there were about 5 to 7 specialties recognized by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA<\/a>). My belief was that nutrition was too important to animals to not have a specialty. I wanted my profession to see the importance and seize the opportunity to talk proper nutrition with pet owners. The ACVN and the AAVN were extremely supportive of the idea and my passion to involve the entire veterinary team in nutrition. In 2010, together with a few incredible nutrition technician colleagues, we formed the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians (AVNT<\/a>) organizing committee and petitioned NAVTA for recognition of the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Nutrition credential. In August 2010, the AVNT became the 10th<\/sup> specialty academy recognized by NAVTA.<\/span><\/p>\n

The mission of the AVNT is to advance the area of and promote excellence in the discipline of veterinary nutrition by enhancing the skills and knowledge of veterinary nutrition technicians and promoting technicians as integral members of the veterinary nutrition team. The AVNT provides a process by which credentialed veterinary nurses\/technicians may become certified as a VTS in the field of nutrition, thereby increasing the competence of those practicing in the field of veterinary nutrition.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the Requirements to Become a VTS (Nutrition)?<\/h2>\n

First, what isn\u2019t required: <\/span><\/p>\n