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Message from the President

Megan Sprinkle,

DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Dear Colleagues,

The past few months I have had the chance to travel to several conferences and, as a result, meet up with many of you. I have loved our conversations and the creative ideas and energy that they generate. 

The AAVN’s 25th Annual Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium will also provide many opportunities to connect. I hope you will join us in Louisville for a full day of learning followed by a night out at the Bluegrass Brewing Company’s Bourbon Barrel Loft (see photo above). More details and registration are available here.

We are also excited to be offering so many programs specifically for our student members (this group includes anyone enrolled in an academic program, residents, and interns). There is a special session on Friday from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm, followed by dinner.  Students, please note that the deadline for Travel Grant funding is April 7. The application is available *here*

Finally, I would like to congratulate our dedicated team of Technician Nutrition Workshop planners (Kara Burns, Robin Saar, and Ashley Self) on the SOLD OUT program for veterinary technicians occurring in Pittsburgh next month! We look forward to hearing more about – and seeing photos of - this inaugural event.

Best,

Megan Sprinkle, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

President

Are you heading to SAVMA this week?

Visit American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition at booth #35.

We will have snacks, prize drawings... and more!

Contributed by Emily Luisana, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Dr. Korinn Saker, DVM, Phd, DACVIM (Nutrition) retired at the end of last year. Dr. Saker was an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Director of the Nutrition Program that she created at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU CVM).

Dr. Saker earned her MS in Animal Nutrition from Clemson University and a DVM from the University of Georgia. After several years in general practice, she completed a PhD in Nutrition and a Clinical Nutrition Residency at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She stayed in Virginia for 12 years as a clinical nutritionist and research professor.

Some of Korinn's many contributions over the years have included researching nutrition in both health and illness, with an emphasis on sarcopenia. She played a role in developing new products, including a critical care assisted feeding program, and she trained many students, interns, and residents while helping to guide several trainees in achieving their DACVIM credentials. Dr. Saker's impact on the field of veterinary nutrition has been long-lasting and sincerely appreciated. We wish her well in her retirement!

** IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you are planning to attend both the AAVN Symposium and the ACVIM Forum, sign up for AAVN first! You will receive a code for a 15% discount on Forum registration. **

The AAVN's 25th Annual Clinical Nutrition and Research Symposium will take place on Saturday, June 21 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, KY. 

Join us for a full day of lectures, oral and poster abstract presentations, student programs and networking opportunities. 

Keynote Speakers are:

The Current State of Large Animal Veterinary Nutrition Panel

Moderator: Megan Shepherd, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Panelists: Mark Fagundes, DVM; Pat Harris, MA, VetMB, PhD, DECVCN, MRCVS; Ashley Self, BS, LVMT, VTS (Nutrition); Robert Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Dietary Fiber: Characterization, Laboratory Analyses, and Physiological Effects on Dogs and Cats Kelly S. Swanson, MS, PhD

University of Illinois

Nutritional Management of Neuromuscular Disorders in Horses

Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVSMR

Valberg NMDL.com

A full schedule is available here. All listed times are Eastern Time.

This program will be submitted to RACE for 3.5 CE credits.

Don't miss the Annual AAVN Party at BBC Bourbon Barrell Loft on Saturday, June 21 from 7 pm - 9 pm.  Tickets are available for purchase at Symposium registration check out. The cost is just $25 for Symposium attendees and $35 for guests.. Each ticket includes one drink and entry in a prize drawing. All proceeds from ticket sales will be used to support student travel to the 2026 Symposium.  

While the Symposium will be an in-person event, audio recordings with slides will be available to registered attendees and AAVN members for a limited time after the live event. Please note that the registration fee is the same whether you are planning to attend in-person or view the virtual sessions.

Thank You Party Sponsors

The Veterinary Technician Nutrition Workshop is Sold Out!

At this time, the Technician Nutrition Workshop, happening April 4-6 in Pittsburgh, PA, is SOLD OUT!

If you – or a friend or colleague- is interested in learning more about future programming, please add your name to the waitlist.  This will help us to assess interest and to reach out directly with other opportunities for technicians.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch at aavnexecutive@gmail.com

This webinar is free to all AAVN members. The cost for non-members is $20.

Student Members - contact us at aavnexecutive@gmail.com to receive your promo code.

What Have You Been Listening To Lately? Submitted by Sarah Abood

If you've been reading our E-newsletter over the past 8 months, you know that our current AAVN President, Dr. Megan Sprinkle, has been deep into the world of podcasting for more than a year with her podcast "Vet Life Reimagined". There's also a veterinary-related podcast at the Ontario Veterinary College, called "Vet Sessions" that some readers might find interesting.  

I have been curious about other podcasts and webinars -- especially those that have a nutritional angle or theme, and after an hour or so of running down rabbit holes, I decided I should ask my network. Dear AAVN members, please share your favorite webinars and podcasts! If you have one or two that focus on diet, health and fitness, that would be great. However, if you like podcasts to utilize other parts of your brain (like I do), share those, too!  

My favs are as follows:

Revisionist History hosted by Malcolm Gladwell

Hidden Brain hosted by Shankar Vedantam

The Ted Radio Hour hosted by Manoush Zomorodi

Freakonomics hosted by Stephen Dubner

AAVN Student Members - don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about careers in veterinary nutrition at the Ask the Professional: The Many Roles of a Nutritionist in the Pet Food Industry virtual program next Tuesday, March 18 at 7 pm ET.   

Our annual Student Town Hall will also take place at this time. It’s a chance for our student members to learn more about our plans for the 25th Annual Clinical Nutrition & Research Symposium in Louisville and how to apply for travel grants to support your attendance.

Thank you to the virtual student program sponsor, Purina Institute.

This program is free but registration is required.

AAVN Funding is Available for Student Chapters

Student chapters can apply for grants of 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 submitted to AAVN.

Requests for funding must include: 

• Date of the request
• Student chapter name
• Primary student contact and faculty advisor, with email and phone number 
• 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 are required to: 



• Submit a write up (250 words MAX) of the event or activities, including pictures, for the AAVN e-newsletter. This summary is due within 1 week concluding 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 Facebook or Instagram by the student chapter or sent to AAVN at aavnexecutive@gmail.com.

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

Upcoming CE Opportunities

ACVIM On Demand Course

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

For more information and registration click Here

ASPEN 2025 Nutrition Science and Practice Conference

March 22-25, 2025

Columbus, OH (virtual option available)

For more information and registration, click here

Classified Ads

Faculty Position in Clinical Nutrition, Kansas State University. Assistant/Associate/ Full Professor (Tenure Track). For more details click here.

Veterinary Nutrition and Medical Manager, Virbac

Full details here

Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine is seeking a full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty member in clinical nutrition at the assistant, associate, or full professor level, starting Spring/Summer 2025. The position splits time between research (35%), clinical instruction and patient care (40%), classroom teaching (15%), and service (10%). The role involves managing nutrition cases, teaching veterinary students, and mentoring interns/residents within the Clinical Nutrition Service of the Gastrointestinal Laboratory. Candidates must have a DVM degree and be an ACVIM-Clinical Nutrition diplomate or have completed a relevant residency and be board-eligible. The position offers extensive research collaboration opportunities across Texas A&M's medical and scientific departments, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and a generous start-up package. The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital features 60 board-certified specialists and comprehensive support staff. Located in Bryan-College Station, Texas A&M is the nation's largest single university with 78,000 students, offering a growing college town environment with good quality of life and reasonable living costs. Applications must be submitted online at apply.interfolio.com/160586.

The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a search for an Assistant/Associate Professor of Nutrition in the Department of Molecular Biosciences (tenure track; includes a 50% clinical appointment in the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH)). Fully accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, the VMTH comprises 40 services with more than 150 specialists, 130 house officers, 335 staff, and a caseload exceeding 75,000/year. The current base pay range is $174,500-$226,300. Other components of pay may be offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience. Click Here for more details.

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