Pet Nutrition at OVC

11/25/2025

📍 Symposium CEMI 2025 | St. Hyacinthe, QC

The OVC Pet Nutrition Clinical Team was thrilled to be part of the 2nd annual CEMI Symposium: When Kidneys Meet Nutrition — held at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal. The symposium focused on upper urinary health in cats and dogs and highlighted the critical role of nutrition in treatment and recovery.

🧠 Dr. Sarah Abood delivered two engaging presentations:

1️⃣ Managing Mealtime Without Losing Sleep
2️⃣ When Desires Diverge: Balancing What the Owner Wants with What the Pet Needs

👩‍⚕️ We were also proud to have Dr. Manuela Fischer attend the event, contributing to the collaborative spirit of the symposium.

👏 Thank you to the University of Montreal and the CEMI team for hosting such an innovative and inspiring event!

11/17/2025

⁉️ Did you know November 17th is Take a Hike day - an initiative that encourages people to get outside and explore 🌳

We think this is a great excuse to get outside and find a new trail for you and your pup to explore 🐶 Exercise is an important part of your dog's health and wellbeing, and contributes to maintaining a healthy body condition!

You can learn more about the role of exercise and body condition for dogs in our Before the Bowl blog: https://brnw.ch/21wXzjL 📖

11/12/2025

📍 VET 2025 | Toronto

The OVC Pet Nutrition Clinical Team was proud to attend and present at this year’s VET 2025 conference!

🧠 Dr. Laura Teeger delivered an insightful session on the nutritional management of Feline Hepatic Lipidosis (FHL) — a serious liver disorder affecting cats when they stop eating. Her presentation emphasized the importance of early nutritional intervention, assisted feeding strategies, and patient-specific plans to improve outcomes.
🔍 Learning highlights included:
• Feeding tube options & early assisted feeding
• Prognosis & monitoring strategies
• Nutrient targets for hospitalized cats
• Pathophysiology of FHL & nutrition’s role in recovery

🐾 Shoshana Verton-Shaw & Becky Hunt (RVTs, VTS-Nutrition) tackled the growing challenge of pet obesity, focusing on patients who struggle with weight loss — especially those who are morbidly obese. Their session offered practical tools and communication strategies to support veterinary teams and clients.
🔍 Learning highlights included:
• Feline-specific weight loss challenges
• Nutrition assessment & troubleshooting
• Tools for busy clinics
• Communication techniques for success

📸 Swipe through to see:
1️⃣ Dr. Laura Teeger in action
2️⃣ Shoshana & Becky sharing their expertise
3️⃣ A snapshot of both presentations

👏 Huge thanks to VET 2025 for hosting such a dynamic and educational event. We’re inspired and energized to keep advancing pet nutrition care!

11/07/2025

🎉 Conference Spotlight! 🎉

We’re thrilled to celebrate our post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Hannah Godfrey, who recently represented the OVC Pet Nutrition Team at the Canadian Emerging Veterinary Student Symposium (CEVSS) in Calgary from October 23–26!

Hannah presented her research on how dietary macronutrient composition influences post-prandial insulin and glucose concentrations in lean and obese cats — a vital step toward improving feline metabolic health. 🐱💡

We’re especially proud to share that Hannah was awarded second place for her outstanding presentation! 🥈👏

She was joined by fellow University of Guelph representatives:
🔬 Shannon Wallace (MSc Candidate, Biomedical Sciences)
🐾 Anaya Bhushan (DVM Student)
🩺 Celine Said (DVM Student)

Together, they connected with top DVM and graduate student researchers from across Canada, explored exciting new ideas in veterinary medicine, and even got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Calgary Zoo! 🦁🐧

10/29/2025

That’s a wrap on Pet Obesity Awareness Month!

Throughout October, we explored how to prevent obesity in cats. From kittens to seniors, we presented how simple habits can go a long way in supporting lifelong health.

Here’s what we covered:
🐈‍⬛ Kittens: Growth charts help track healthy development and catch early signs of excess weight.
🐈 Adults: Body condition scoring is an easy at-home tool to check if your cat is at a healthy weight.
🐾 Seniors: With age comes a slower metabolism but portion control, gentle activity, and regular weight checks help prevent sneaky weight gain.

Obesity may be common, but with the right knowledge and tools, it can be treated or prevented.

Thank you for joining us this month and investing in your cat’s long-term health and happiness! Check out our blog post that covers this month’s theme and delves into obesity prevention for cats of all life stages. https://brnw.ch/21wX2dq

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust

10/27/2025

Are you heading to the VET2025? You'll see our team members there!

This year at the Veterinary Education Today 2025 Conference, our team members keep the theme of feline obesity going 🐈

Becky Hunt (RVT, VTS (Nutrition)) and Shoshana Verton-Shaw (RVT, VTS (Nutrition) RLAT) will be presenting on "Stubborn Fat". Read on to learn more about their talk: https://brnw.ch/21wWYm1

Dr. Laura Teeger (DVM, DVSc Student, ECVCN Clinical Nutrition Resident) will be discussing "Feeding the Fatty Liver - Nutritional Strategies for Feline Hepatic". Read on to learn more: Lipidosishttps://brnw.ch/21wWYm2

Let us know in the comments if we will see you there! 🐈‍⬛

10/24/2025

Have your say in the 2025 Pet Obesity & Nutrition Opinion Survey! 🐾

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) has launched its 2025 global survey, inviting veterinary professionals, pet owners, and members of the pet health community to share their perspectives on how obesity and nutrition are understood and managed in companion animals.

The survey is open through December 31, 2025, and aims to gather diverse insights from around the world to better inform education, communication, and prevention strategies.
Alongside the survey, APOP and the World Pet Obesity Association (WPOA) are also sharing new practical tools to support veterinary teams and pet owners in promoting healthy body weight and nutrition for pets.

🩺 Your input matters!

By taking part, you’ll help shape a more consistent, compassionate, and science-based approach to tackling one of the most common health challenges facing pets worldwide.

👉 Take the survey here: https://bit.ly/2025APOP

10/22/2025

Your cat might still act like a kitten, but by age 7, their officially in their mature years!

As cats age, their metabolism slows down and their calorie needs drop, but their appetite might not. Without adjusting their diet or activity, extra pounds can sneak on fast! 🐾

Here are a few simple ways to help prevent obesity as your cat ages:
✔️ Adjust food portions to match their lower calorie needs
✔️ Encourage gentle, age-appropriate play to keep their muscles strong
✔️ Monitor weight and body condition regularly

Keeping your mature cat lean today means a healthier, happier senior tomorrow! 🐱💪

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust
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10/15/2025

One of the simplest tools available to monitor an adult cat’s weight is called Body Condition Scoring (BCS)—and yes, you can do it at home!

BCS is a standardized system that helps estimate how much body fat your cat is carrying. By using visual cues and gently feeling key areas of the body, you can tell if your cat is too thin, just right, or carrying excess weight that could affect their health.

🎥 In this video, we’ll walk you through:
✔️ What BCS is and how it works
✔️ 3 simple steps to assess your cat’s body condition
✔️ What to do if your cat’s score is off track

A healthy weight means a longer, happier life for your cat. Let’s catch problems early and stay ahead of obesity.

Talk to your vet if you're unsure about your cat’s score or ideal weight! Read more about body condition scoring for both cats and dogs here: https://ovcpetnutrition.uoguelph.ca/2021/10/25/scoring-for-health/

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust

10/10/2025

Don’t miss Dr. Sarah Abood of the OVC Pet Nutrition Team as she shares her expertise in an exciting upcoming webinar hosted by the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition — plus, check out other insightful webinars from the CAVN happening throughout the month!

[LIVE WEBCASTS] Be sure to register for each webcast…

Register for the October 7 webcast 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1717573688958/WN_zerq_x1ZQDeB3X_J5g8TWQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawNHjFpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0WHNZQUdtTnRpVHNIaTM0AR6pf3Ay-fUI7EN0Q7VLj1ABGU6sLgp1-nUDQoGYMo6S-8qvIgNP8bYc4zL2KQ_aem_rcXGGlhLz3Zdd6V38k0xeg #/registration
Register for the October 14 webcast 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7017573689675/WN_l7NR9P_UTYOcwZVlXDDnpg?fbclid=IwY2xjawNHjHtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0WHNZQUdtTnRpVHNIaTM0AR6pf3Ay-fUI7EN0Q7VLj1ABGU6sLgp1-nUDQoGYMo6S-8qvIgNP8bYc4zL2KQ_aem_rcXGGlhLz3Zdd6V38k0xeg #/registration
Register for the October 21 webcast 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7217573690281/WN_jMVZTapSTjiikxUUZBXpiA?fbclid=IwY2xjawNHjIVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0WHNZQUdtTnRpVHNIaTM0AR7DTp2EEQh-Hd8Mx9dFSeslZ7_2y6v3C6zRRWjSNAMBDmoKPCQ5X4DCmwverA_aem_ncJqthzUmESWk9yaNmUaKA #/registration
Register for the October 28 webcast (French presentation) 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5317573690854/WN_-_SJXqRJQyiMmXBnPeaelw?fbclid=IwY2xjawNHjJBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0WHNZQUdtTnRpVHNIaTM0AR4GRKmVihWoYpxgE0uyzi_3xmBU5UnmROMSvFI5h9zs4kZ6hPSEDnFnVdm9jA_aem_Ar9yrf7-je-lwoF7lDHnOg #/registration

10/08/2025

Kittens grow fast, and monitoring their weight can help catch issues early—before they become long-term health problems. 📈

A growth chart is one of the easiest tools to track your kitten’s development week by week, and it only takes a few minutes to use! 🐾

🎥 In this video, we show you:
✅ Why growth charts matter
✅ How to use them
✅ Where to find a reliable growth chart online

✨ Set your kitten up for a lifetime of health—start tracking today!

🔗 Follow this link to access the growth chart https://brnw.ch/21wWsfI


Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust

10/01/2025

October is !

This month, we’ll be diving into obesity prevention in cats across every life stage. Building healthy habits early set the foundation for lifelong wellness, and preventing obesity is easier than treating it. Obesity is one of the most common health issues in companion animals; with even a small excess in body weight increasing the risk for conditions like diabetes and arthritis.

Throughout October, we’ll be highlighting tips and tools to help build healthy habits that last from kittens to seniors.

Follow along as we explore weight management at every stage of your cat’s life!

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust