Dietary protein is important in both health and disease, and nutritional intervention often includes recommendations to adjust protein consumption. However, this is not always an easy recommendation to make in the clinical setting; assessing and quantifying protein intake can be challenging, and implementing changes in dietary protein is rarely straightforward. This lecture will focus on practical methods of assessing protein intake and recommending modifications in dietary protein for canine and feline patients with protein-responsive medical conditions. 

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand dietary protein for dogs and cats 
2. Understand practical methods of assessing protein intake 
3. Understand the recommendations for modifications in dietary protein for dogs and cats with protein-responsive medical conditions

Presented by Catherine Ruggiero, MS, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition

RACE-Approved for 1 hour of CE

Session Description: Over the hour, we will discuss common pet owner concerns when it comes to nutrition and give you guidance on how to confidently address those concerns. We will overview pet food and supplement regulation and safety in the beginning of the presentation. This will be followed with how to evaluate pet food and pet food companies, the limitations as well as cues you can glean from pet food labels, and the importance of understanding nutrients versus ingredients when it comes to pet nutrition. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Explain the roles of ingredients and nutrients in pet foods 
• Give examples of the responsibilities of the government agencies, pet food companies, and veterinary medical professionals in keeping pet food safe. 
• Recommend guidelines for owners to follow when selecting supplements for their pets 
• Summarize the information gathered from nutritional adequacy statement on a pet food label 

Presented by Dr. Michael Robbins, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Sponsored by Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets

RACE-Approval Pending