Nutrition

Clinical Nutrition I – A Comprehensive Approach to the role of Nutrition in Health and Disease

preregistration open

 

Vienna / Austria

26.05.2025 – 30.05.2025

TBA .-*

TBA .-*(early registration deadline: 01.12.2024)

* eLibrary access is included in the course fee

Total hours: 40
ATF hours (Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland): TBA
ECTS credits (Master & Certificate): 5

Principal Course Master:

Dr.med.vet. Irene Bruckner, specialist in veterinary nutrition and dietetics (AT)

Course Master:

Dr.med.vet. Stefanie Handl, specialist in veterinary nutrition and dietetics, Dipl. ECVCN (AT)

Course Overview

In this first of two courses in clinical nutrition, we will polish up your knowledge on nutrition physiology. Anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract, digestion and nutrient absorption will be reviewed plus the differences between species explained. Links between digestion, nutritient utilization and other organ systems in health and disease will be shown.
Second, we will focus on the value of the nutritional assessment of your patients. Students will learn how to obtain a complete feeding history, identify common feeding mistakes, educate owners on pros and cons of different types of feeding and resolve common myths and misunderstandings.
To achieve that, we will provide insights into pet food production, ingredients, quality management, and legal regulations. Students will learn how to evaluate commercial diets and help to owners choosing the right product for their pet, depending on breed, size, life stage, activity, etc.
We will further cover the topic of home-made diets, from raw feeding (“BARF”) to vegetarian/vegan feeding. Student will gain basic knowledge on feed science and ration calculation for health dogs and cats.
The second part of the course is dedicated to the dietary principles in most common diseases like renal insufficiency, urolithiasis, gastrointestinal problems, allergies, etc.
Practical exercises and workshops like evaluating the feeding history, Body Condition Scoring, interpretation of pet food labels etc. will be integrated every day. Case studies from various experts will be presented and evaluated with the students.
Also, basic knowledge of feeding rabbits, rodents, pet birds and other exotic patients will be part of the course.

Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, participants will:
• have profound knowledge of nutrient requirements and physiology
• be able to confidently approach a nutritional consultation and evaluate a feeding history
• have knowledge of pet food legislation and pert food production and be able to evaluate pet food labels critically
• be able to consult owners who prefer home-made diets and be familiar with the basics of ration calculation
• be able to choose a dietary treatment for the most common diseases going hand in hand with the medical treatment and to communicate the main points to the pet owner

Main topics:
• digestive anatomy and physiology
• nutrient requirements in different life stages and with special needs (dogs and cats)
• applied feed science
• obtaining and assessing dietary history
• choosing diet and feeding management
• legislation and labelling
• pros and cons of home-made diets
• basic ration calculation
• finding the right feeding method and product for patients with
o weight problems
o allergies
o acute and chronic gastroenteritis
o hepatic disease
o pancreatitis / pancreatic insufficiency
o chronic renal insufficiency
o urolithiasis
o and other common problems

Course program (Subject to change)

Monday, 26 May 2025

08:30 – 09:00 Welcome and Registration
09:00 – 09:45 Introduction: Anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract / Welcome Quiz
09:45 – 10:30 Comparative physiology of digestion
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Feed analysis
11:45 – 12:30 Macro nutrients and energy requirements
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:30 Micro nutrients, vitamins, trace elements; feed additives
14:30 – 15:15 Practical feeding management for owners and inpatients: group discussion
15:15– 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 16:30 Workshop evaluating commercial diets & declarations
16:30 – 17:00 Ingredients quiz, self-assessment
18:00 Welcome Drink

Tuesday, 27 May 2025

08:30 – 9:00 Recap from Monday
09:00 – 09:45 Practical role play: feeding history, BCS, MCS, calculating energy requirements
09:45 – 10:30 Which patients require a diet? Group discussion
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Feed Law and requirements
11:45 – 12:30 Production and Quality Management in commercial pet food
t12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:15 Myths and misunderstandings about commercial diets
14:15 – 15:00 Pancreatic disease – theory and cases
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 Workup of the dermatological patient, diagnosis, elimination diets
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap Up Quiz. Quick Self-Assessment

Wednesday, 28 May 2025

08:30 – 09:30 Recap from Tuesday
09:30 – 10:00 Nutrients in gastrointestinal health, (digestibility, fibres), poop scoring
10:00 – 10:30 Diets for GI patients, analysis and comparison
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Case work up – digestive tract
11:45 – 12:30 Pancreatic disease – theory and cases
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 15:00 Intestinal microbiome – new insights and influence of diets
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:45 – 16:30 Insights in the work of a feed legislation officer
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap Up. Quick Self-Assessment

Thursday, 29 May 2025

08:30 – 10:30 Orthopaedic cases, including common problems during growth, joint health & supplements – what’s the science
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30 The urinary tract patient, different stones and diets
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 15:00 Urinary patient: lab results, find the right diet, cases workshop
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break
15:30 – 16:30 Workshop: suitable treats for your patients, guess the right amount, declaration
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap Up. Quick Self-Assessment

Friday, 30 May 2025

08:30 – 10:00 Renal patients – theory and cases
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:30 Rabbits & Rodents – requirements and common feeding mistakes -cases
11:30 – 12:30 Birds and Exotics – commercial products and mistakes -cases
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 14:30 nutrition in oncological patients
14:30 – 15:30 multimorbid patients, ICU nutrition
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00 CASUS case

Course location