Future of veterinary/nutrition industry?

[CFD-JTZ]

I am brand new so I'm sorry if this has been addressed before...I have read/heard that nutrition is not a very detailed topic in most veterinary schools. Is this true?

Does anyone have insights or thoughts about the future of veterinary medicine and specifically how it relates to the food industry? I know a lot of natural raw food businesses have been popping up but I still feel there is such a huge disconnect between veterinarians and cat owners when it comes to this knowledge. Veterinarians won't recommend a raw/homemade diet because it is very risky if not done correctly. But when done correctly, we know that it is insanely more healthy (in most cases) than most commercial foods.

So then you have cat parents researching online and still feeding raw/homemade food to their cats without proper veterinary supervision...

So how do we close the gap? How can we make feline nutrition education more permanent and widespread, especially in veterinary offices?

Also, what services or information do you feel are missing, understated or misrepresented in the cat health industry?

Thank you so much!

 

[white shadow]

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Well, well........what an interesting question (especially for a first post here)! And, of course, perhaps more/most interesting is the question behind that question

Welcome to the forum, CFD-JTZ !

So.............what brings you to the forum? What's your personal interest in "feline nutrition education".....?

[you weren't exactly 'covert', there with "...we know that it is insanely more healthy ..." ]
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[Talien]

I think the biggest issue with vets not being on board with raw diet is they are bombarded with why the "prescription" foods are the best thing ever in school, and why raw is bad because it's unsafe and a bacterial contamination risk, nevermind that dry food is just as much if not more of a bacterial contamination risk as improperly prepared raw food. Almost all of the studies into a raw diet are paid for by the commercial pet food companies so they can hardly be considered unbiased, and those studies are basically the entirety of the info that vets get so it's no surprise that so many see it as bad. It is true that making home made raw pet food can be dangerous if entered into without studying what exactly needs to be done and making sure it's done right but the studies make it seem like all raw pet food is bad, even the commercially available foods that almost never see a recall.

There's also that the corporate veterinary hospitals are against raw feeding as company policy (they can't push the overpriced low quality prescription foods if their clients are feeding raw), so vets that work at one of those hospitals are taking a risk any time they talk about raw diet even if they personally see the value in it.

 

[CFD-JTZ]

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Well, well........what an interesting question (especially for a first post here)! And, of course, perhaps more/most interesting is the question behind that question

Welcome to the forum, CFD-JTZ !

So.............what brings you to the forum? What's your personal interest in "feline nutrition education".....?

[you weren't exactly 'covert', there with "...we know that it is insanely more healthy ..." ]
.

Hehe, ok ok...I am the proud owner of 6 beautiful kitties ranging in age from 4 to 14. I got myself a good grinder several years ago and started making cat food for them. I feed a combination of the raw food and a higher quality commercial food that I would like to switch up soon. I have had so much success with the raw recipe and every single one of my cats LOVES it.

I'm getting ready to take some online training in the area of nutrition and behavior (backed by DVMs) just to further my knowledge. I've thought about trying to go through veterinary training but I just don't know if I can make it happen (time & $$).

Anyway, I very much want to help felines become better understood better taken care of. I want to help take the focus from treatment to prevention. I want to stop seeing veterinary offices carry one brand of commercial prescription food!

I think the biggest issue with vets not being on board with raw diet is they are bombarded with why the "prescription" foods are the best thing ever in school, and why raw is bad because it's unsafe and a bacterial contamination risk, nevermind that dry food is just as much if not more of a bacterial contamination risk as improperly prepared raw food. Almost all of the studies into a raw diet are paid for by the commercial pet food companies so they can hardly be considered unbiased, and those studies are basically the entirety of the info that vets get so it's no surprise that so many see it as bad. It is true that making home made raw pet food can be dangerous if entered into without studying what exactly needs to be done and making sure it's done right but the studies make it seem like all raw pet food is bad, even the commercially available foods that almost never see a recall.

There's also that the corporate veterinary hospitals are against raw feeding as company policy (they can't push the overpriced low quality prescription foods if their clients are feeding raw), so vets that work at one of those hospitals are taking a risk any time they talk about raw diet even if they personally see the value in it.

You are so right! This is one of the things that got me on this kick! I simply want to be part of the movement that helps change all of this, even if it takes the rest of my life. Maybe a bit ambitious but look at all the change going on in the world today!

 

[She's a witch]

Well, if all domestic cats ate raw and there were no longer kidney diseases, UTIs, IBD etc, that wouldn’t leave much work&money for veterinarians, would it? But joking aside, I’d really blame big players like Mars, Nestle and their aggressive marketing strategies targeted towards vets. For Some of them the brochures from these companies are the only source of cat nutrition knowledge they get. Royal Canin in Europe organizes free workshops In nice places to make sure vets are up to date with their knowledge. Plus they fund most research as Talien mentioned. So yeah, I have little hope that it will change, as in anything so money driven.

Even if some vets are pro raw food, they aren’t always upfront about it. My cat only vet is very pro raw, she feeds her cats raw and always praises how her patients get better on raw, yet she speaks a bit differently about this when We talk about this alone vs when someone else is present. Since probably all official veterinary associations are against raw, it must not be easy to act against them.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

I think that most vets hear "raw diet" and immediately assume that the owner is only feeding some sort of meat to their cats...which some do. One of their biggest fears is that the general population isn't giving their cat(s) enough micro/macro nutrients that come in a commercially prepared food. Vets do care about your animals (that's why they become vets...Lord knows they're not in it for the money) and no vet wants to see a cat or dog with huge deficits that affects their muscle/skeleton/neural development.

Bacterial infection is also a concern, but in my opinion, cats can get an infection from anything, particularly if you let your cats outside and they hunt/eat whatever they find that's been dead for who knows how long. I, as a cat owner, would be much more concerned about not giving my cat appropriate nutrients vs. potential contamination. This is why I do not feed home-cooked or raw meals.

Prescription diets...I'm torn on. Do I think breed-specific diets (RC's Maine Coon, Persian, BSH, etc.) need to be a thing? Not really. However, if my cats were to be diagnosed with kidney issues and there is specific food that gives them what they need/dissolves stones/etc., then yes, I would feed that food.

Every vet I have been to/seen online swears up and down that they do not get kickbacks from selling Purina or Hill's or Royal Canin. I'll take them at their word unless some sort of veterinary whistleblower comes out and says otherwise.

 

[CFD-JTZ]

So why wouldn't it be beneficial to have a "veterinary nutritionist" work alongside a "regular" veterinarian? Seems like these two things would compliment each other and bring even more money to their practices. But then the question becomes, how do you become a veterinary nutritionist if no one is teaching it? They could still sell the prescriptions when necessary. But at some point, these companies are going to have to catch up with the individuals and start ups that are educating themselves on the subject.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

You're right- they would compliment each other. But animal medicine isn't like human medicine. You'd be hard pressed to find the average pet owner that would be willing to pay for a specialist in any area, especially nutrition. Finances play a huge role. Humans can have insurance. So can pets, but most don't insure them, and as a result, balk at the specialist that wants $100 just to have your animal seen.

Nutrition is taught in vet school, but probably a lot more broadly than we as pet owners would prefer. To be a veterinary nutritionist would require even more schooling and residencies and licenses. Those that do go that route tend to practice in major cities or where vet schools are located.

 

[Azazel]

Vets don't need to recommend raw food in order to recommend proper nutrition. Cooked food can be healthy too.

As long as the pet feed industry has the control that they do we won't see any changes. Pet parents need to stop supporting Mars, Hills, Purina, Blue Buffalo, and other companies that are in the business of making crappy feed. Take away the power of the pet feed industry and demand that consumers want real food for their pets. Then vets will have to change.

But this won't happen because most people don't care as much as folks on this forum do about their cats' nutrition.

 

[Azazel]

So why wouldn't it be beneficial to have a "veterinary nutritionist" work alongside a "regular" veterinarian? Seems like these two things would compliment each other and bring even more money to their practices. But then the question becomes, how do you become a veterinary nutritionist if no one is teaching it? They could still sell the prescriptions when necessary. But at some point, these companies are going to have to catch up with the individuals and start ups that are educating themselves on the subject.

Why would you do that when you can just prescribe a diet created by the very same company that sold you the food that caused the problem in the first place?

Let's also remember that most people who have cats don't really care either. There isn't a strong enough market for feline nutritionists.

Also, the whole raw food becoming popular thing is only to the extent that it is also affordable and convenient. Most of the major raw food brands still aren't really that much "healthier" than canned food because they aren't transparent about the source of their meat and they overcompensate with bone. So the whole commercial raw food thing is kind of like a hipster fad. The percentage of cat parents who actually make their own food using human grade meat is very small.

 

[She's a witch]

But animal medicine isn't like human medicine. You'd be hard pressed to find the average pet owner that would be willing to pay for a specialist in any area, especially nutrition

I’d add to that it seems that for most people the notion that what we eat directly influence our health is not something they believe in, and even if they correlate food with health, they rarely put this in practice, hence so many human diseases caused by life style choices. So if humans don’t care what they eat themselves, would they really care enough what pets eat and pay for it?

 

[CFD-JTZ]

These are good points. I am one of those who lives at least an hour from any city large enough to have a veterinary nutritionist. But I would argue that even though the market isn't there yet, that's where it is headed. Even with humans, self improvement is one of the largest growing industries and this includes the 2 big ones: health and finance. You try to sell a course on how to make money or eat healthy...you make money!

I found this article https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/7-adventures-in-pet-food/post/9391-trends-guiding-pet-food-through-2020-and-beyond

and I've seen other similar articles. Thought it was interesting. But yes, I think educating pet parents is key, as well as finding a way to make the healthy stuff less expensive and more attainable.

I must say, I am so glad I found this forum!

 

[Talien]

Every vet I have been to/seen online swears up and down that they do not get kickbacks from selling Purina or Hill's or Royal Canin. I'll take them at their word unless some sort of veterinary whistleblower comes out and says otherwise.

It's not that they get kickbacks, it's more that this is what they are taught is good for pets so it is what they recommend.

I’d add to that it seems that for most people the notion that what we eat directly influence our health is not something they believe in, and even if they correlate food with health, they rarely put this in practice, hence so many human diseases caused by life style choices. So if humans don’t care what they eat themselves, would they really care enough what pets eat and pay for it?

Actually, you'd be surprised. There are a lot of people (I should know since I'm one of them) who just eat whatever's cheap and at least reasonably healthy because money is tight, but when it comes to our Cats they get the best that we can afford.

 

[Willowy]

Just gonna point out that if every pet ate human-grade food, meat production would have to double (I estimated; if you've looked into that more let me know), and this would be problematic in a lot of ways.

There is actually an American College of Veterinary Nutrition, though it sounds like only licensed vets can become nutritionists.
Frequently Asked Questions.

Cornell also offers nutritionist certification:
Nutrition

 

[She's a witch]

Just gonna point out that if every pet ate human-grade food, meat production would have to double

Alternatively, people would need to learn not to waste meat so much as they do right now and that would even out

 

[CFD-JTZ]

Just gonna point out that if every pet ate human-grade food, meat production would have to double (I estimated; if you've looked into that more let me know), and this would be problematic in a lot of ways.

This is actually not something I've considered. But we all know that not EVERY pet would have the luxury of eating like this.

Alternatively, people would need to learn not to waste meat so much as they do right now and that would even out

Not to mention, the vegetarian & vegan population is bound to keep growing!

 

[Azazel]

Alternatively, people would need to learn not to waste meat so much as they do right now and that would even out

As with all things, animal lives suffer due to our narcissism and gluttony.

I’m sure all of the meat eating contests out there are far more important than animals and the ecosystem though. It’s totally worth continuing to feed our cats a corn based diet.

 

[Willowy]

I guess I don't think that cancelling however many meat-eating contests there are will make up for the dietary needs of ~180 million carnivore pets, nor did I say that carnivore pets should be fed a corn-based food. Just that we have some things to sort out.

I definitely agree that humans, especially Americans, could stand to eat less meat, and we should have better protocols in place to prevent waste (I'm not sure what percentage of unsellable meat currently goes into pet food, but it all should). But I'm still not sure that would make up for that kind of production increase.

 

[Mailmans_Mom]

So why wouldn't it be beneficial to have a "veterinary nutritionist" work alongside a "regular" veterinarian? Seems like these two things would compliment each other and bring even more money to their practices. But then the question becomes, how do you become a veterinary nutritionist if no one is teaching it? They could still sell the prescriptions when necessary. But at some point, these companies are going to have to catch up with the individuals and start ups that are educating themselves on the subject.

I think another thing we have to consider is the customers - the pet parents. Even if you give them a recipe, do they want to take the time to make cat food? Are they even cooking human food for themselves or just buying processed food and take out? Americans live in a culture of instant gratification - let me buy this thing to fix my problem. If there is not a huge demand from pet parents to change, it is unlikely the industry will change.

 

[CFD-JTZ]

I think another thing we have to consider is the customers - the pet parents. Even if you give them a recipe, do they want to take the time to make cat food? Are they even cooking human food for themselves or just buying processed food and take out? Americans live in a culture of instant gratification - let me buy this thing to fix my problem. If there is not a huge demand from pet parents to change, it is unlikely the industry will change.

I somewhat agree. However, I'm not saying it would always have to be homemade food. As I said there are more and more companies coming out with natural, raw foods. Even though homemade would be healthiest if done correctly, a change in the industry toward healthier and more ethically sourced food would be a great thing and I believe that trend is on the upswing already. So, the parent could still have the option of purchasing a better quality food.

And take me for example...I hate prepping food & cooking for myself. I am SO lazy about it. BUT I still go all out for my fur babies. Chopping up whole chickens, grinding them & the bones, sticking my hands it all that nastiness!! I never ever thought I would enjoy doing it but I only do it for them and that makes it totally worth it! I know I'm only one person, but I know many pet owners and many of them are very passionate about their pets in this same regard.