Vet Nurses are often the first people our clients speak to about diet, and these days there are so many options - raw, dry kibble, wet food, vegan food and homemade diets. It's very important that nurses are able to discuss these options with clients, with the correct scientific information to share.

The main steps in diagnosing food allergy in dogs are the exclusion other differential diagnoses, the administration a correct elimination diet for a suitable amount of time and the interpretation of the results of the diet trial. Advanta-ges and disadvantages of other diagnostic tools, such as the intradermal skin test or the serological test, the patch test, the gastroscopic test will be discussed. Useful tips on how to chose the most suitable hypoallergenic diet and how to improve compliance during the diet trial will also be offered.

Nutrition is the fifth vital assessment when dealing with patients, it is vital to get this correct throughout the animal’s life in order to maintain a good quality of life, prevent nutrition related diseases and increase longevity. There is a myriad of nutritional complications that can occur differing between the species and breeds, with varying nutritional requirements needed dependent on the signalment of the animal. The importance of nutrition has a large impact on the animals life and one of our roles as nurses is to educate our clients on the best diets for their pet, therefore it is important to know not just what is the preferred diet but what can go wrong if the diet supplied has inadequate nutritional value for that animal. Studies have shown that feeding the correct diet can increase QOL and longevity for the patient therefore reducing medication requirements; consequently it is important to get this correct from the beginning. This webinar will discuss the nutritional requirements of healthy dogs and cats from birth, growth until adult maintenance.