AAVN January E-Newsletter

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AAVN Newsletter January 2021

A Message from the President

Happy New Year! I truly believe that 2021 will be a brighter year for all of us.

While I hope that we will be able to gather in person sometime soon, for now the AAVN is focused on offering virtual programming for our members. Be sure to check out the information for our upcoming webinars below.

Our annual Symposium, on June 2nd and 3rd, is also slated to be an online event. Our Educational Program Committee has recruited a terrific lineup of speakers and we are currently accepting abstract submissions.

I’m also excited about a new offering — our virtual cocktail hour/ trivia contest, that I will be co-hosting with Dr. Mike Robbins from Hill’s! Look out for more details, coming soon.

Finally, we will have several open positions on the Executive Board and I encourage you to consider serving in this capacity. We have a wonderful group of volunteers working together on the important work of the AAVN. If you would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to email us at aavnexecutive@gmail.com

Many thanks, as always, for your support.

Martha G. Cline, DVM, DACVN

AAVN Executive Board - President (2017-2021)

AAVN 2021 Webinar Series

Registration is now open for our first webinar!

February 16, 2021, 7 pm EST

Nutrition of the Sick Equine Neonate: Why it is Important and How to Provide it in Ambulatory Practice

Speaker: Sarah Stoneham, BVSc Cert ESM MRCVS

Hambleton Equine Clinic, UK

To sign up click here

If you are a student member, please enter the code AAVNSTUDENT when you register.

Save these Dates!

August 18, 2021, 8 pm EST

Utilizing Veterinary Technicians for Nutritional Management

Ashley Self, BS, LVMT, VTS (Nutrition)

November (date & speaker TBD)

Nutritional Management of Working Dogs

Webinars will be free for AAVN members but registration will be required. More information coming soon!

THANK YOU WEBINAR SERIES SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Call for Nominees!

Executive Board Positions

Deadline is March 5, 2021

The Governance Committee is now taking nominations from the membership for the following Executive Board positions for 2021 – 2023:

· President Elect

· Secretary

· Treasurer

· Member-at-Large (1 position)

Nominees may be submitted to Martha Cline (marthagcline@gmail.com) with a petition of 3 voting members. These nominations must be received no later than March 5, 2021, ninety days prior to the Annual Business Meeting per Article 11, Section 2 of the AAVN By-laws.

For description of the available positions, please reference Article 6, Duties of Officers, of the AAVN By-laws. You may also reach out to members of the Governance Committee with any questions.

AAVN Governance Committee Members 2019-2021

Martha G. Cline (Chair)

Craig Datz

Korinn Saker

Wilbur Amand

Happy New Year! Check out these Resolutions that these AAVN members (and their dogs) have made for 2021!

"Last year I started running regularly with my pointer, Dave. We achieved my highest annual mileage together so my goal for 2021 is to beat 2020! Here is Dave with his medal after completing the NYCRuns Subway System Challenge (245 miles)!" ~ Martha Cline

"My resolution is to earn an AKC Trick Dog Advanced title with my dog, Lucy."~ Dr. Cailin Heinze

"Milo and I signed up for a winter warrior challenge where we are running 5 miles a day and we made it 21 days so far LOL! We’ll see if we make it till the end of January."

~ Dr. Deborah Linder

How to give your pet TLC: Treats, Love and Care

by Shannon Borynsky, Penn Foster

3rd Place Winner, AAVN Pet Nutrition Blog Post Winner

You may have heard of the saying TLC, and what better way to show how much we love our pets than with treats. We as pet owners tend to personify our pets, calling them “fur-babies” and carrying on conversations with them convinced that they understand every word. This personification carries over into the love we show our pets. We love treats and our pets love treats, and that creates a connection. Many pets show profound signs of happiness around treats. Their tails wag, they spin in circles, and they vocalize their excitement. This happiness gives us joy as owners. For someone to tell an owner to not give treats, is like saying to not pet their dog or cat. It takes away a bonding process. As responsible pet owners, we need to focus on not eliminating treats, but being more intentional with the treats we give.

Two big issues arise when we don’t put consideration into the treats we give to our animals. Weight gain and nutrient deficiencies.

Weight gain

Obesity is an issue that affects more than half of all cats and dogs in the United States. Symptoms of which puts stress on the joints, impairs the heart, and decreases the life span of our furry friends. These are not health concerns that we wish upon our pets. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention is one great organization that has many resources to help keep your pets in shape.

Nutrient deficiencies

Nutrient deficiencies may occur in extreme cases where treats account for most of a pet’s daily intake. Treats are typically not complete and balanced, and should only account for 10% of a pet’s daily intake. When you increase the calories or amount of treats given, you dilute the essential nutrients your pet needs. This is the same reasoning why dessert comes after dinner. You want to consume the majority of your calories from healthy whole foods, and a smaller portion from treats.

Treating your pet

In order to keep the special bond between us and our pets and create an environment of good health, we need to follow some simple guidelines. First and foremost, all treats should be safe for our pets. Chocolate, onions, grapes, and raisins are examples of toxic treats that should never be fed to our animals. Treats that are high in fat should also be given with caution. Too many high fat treats can lead to a disease called pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas and it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite.

Lastly, you should know how many calories your pet is allowed per day. Every pets’ needs are different, so consult your veterinarian for a tailored nutrition plan. For your average adult spayed pet, you can consult the chart below for your pet’s average daily treat allotment.

Lastly, we want to choose treats that our pets enjoy eating and that we enjoy giving. For some owners, feeding one really tasty treat a day is all that’s needed. These owners are able to give richer treats like peanut butter or cheese. For other owners, giving multiple treats throughout the day is how they show their love to their pets. These owners benefit from low calorie treats that you can feed more frequently. Experiment with different treats and see what your pet likes. You may be surprised to learn that your cat likes strawberries, or that your dog enjoys bananas!

Here are some examples of whole food treats and their Calorie amounts:

1 tbsp of Peanut butter = 94 Calories

1 large Boiled Egg = 78 Calories

1-inch cube of Cheddar Cheese = 68 Calories

1 cup of Cubed Watermelon = 46 Calories

½ can of Tuna in Water = 45 Calories

1 cup of Air-Popped Popcorn = 30 Calories

1 medium Carrot = 25 Calories

¼ cup of Blueberries = 22 Calories

Treats make a big impact on our pets’ lives. Being mindful of treats allows you to have the positive benefits that come with bonding while avoiding the negative side effects of an improper diet. Every pet is unique, and creating a tailored plan to meet your furry friends’ needs is important. Our pets deserve happiness, health, and a bit of TLC.

AAVN is Now Accepting Submissions for

Student Blog Writing Contests

Deadline: March 15, 2021

The AAVN's annual Pet Nutrition and Equine Nutrition blog writing competitions are open to:

Students currently enrolled in DVM/ VMD programs, registered veterinary technician (RVT) programs or animal science programs.
Veterinary interns currently practicing at an academic institution or in private practice.
Graduate students (Masters and PhD) pursuing an advanced degree in veterinary or animal nutrition.

Please note that the competition is not open to nutrition residents training to become board certified by either the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) or the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN).

1st Place: The 1st place winner receives a $500 USD travel award to the AAVN Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium, to be used in the two years following the award. In addition, the winning blog will be featured in the AAVN e-newsletter.

2nd & 3rd Place: The runners up receive award certificates and their blogs will be featured in the AAVN e-newsletter.

For additional details and submission format click here

The AAVN Pet Nutrition Blog Writing Competition is sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition. The AAVN Equine Nutrition Blog Writing Competition is sponsored by Buckeye Nutrition.

AAVN 2021 Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium

New Dates

Please Save the Date! The AAVN 2021 Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium will take place on Wednesday, June 2nd and Thursday, June 3rd. We are going virtual again! Further details to follow.

Call for Abstracts

The AAVN is now accepting abstracts for the 21st Annual Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium, scheduled for June 2nd-3rd, 2021.

Abstract submissions will be accepted between January 4th- February 12th, 11:59 pm (EST), 2021. For additional details, including the full Call for Abstracts click here

Thank You to Our Symposium Sponsor

AAVN Announcements

Are you planning on publishing an article or making a nutrition presentation some time in 2020? We'd love to announce it for you! Please send to the Executive Directors at aavnexecutive@gmail.com or the E-newsletter editor aboodsarah@gmail.com