| TODAY'S TECHNICIAN
COMMUNICATING WITH CLIENTS Once you have defined your practice's position and recommendations with regard to patient nutrition and trained team members to compe- tently deliver the message, it is time to start working with clients.
The
single most important part is taking a thorough, accurate diet history from the client. The purpose of the history
is to identify: UÊWhat and how much the client is actually feeding—food AND treats (what/when/amount)
UÊAspects of the diet that are not ideal or inappropriate
UÊAspects of the diet that the owner is not able or willing to change
UÊRecommendations that help owners make better nutritional decisions for their pets.
The AAHA Nutritional Assess-ment Guidelines for
Dogs and Cats provides both a basic screening form for regular appointments (aahanet.org/Library/ NutritionalAsmt.aspx, scroll down to Table 2) and an extended form for patients that need more in- depth evaluation (aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/ NutritionEvaluationForm.pdf). This information can be reviewed with the veterinar-
ian and a diet plan developed. Obviously, the most dif- ficult part is effectively communicating with the owner. See Table 2, page 77, for some tips.
View the AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats at aahanet. org/Library/NutritionalAsmt.aspx.
WHEN TO USE A SPECIALIST When pets require in-depth help, such as aggressive weight loss, or if the owner has decided to feed raw or homemade diets, referring them to a nutrition special- ist, if one is not on the practice staff, helps provide opti- mum care for the pet. Follow up with both the specialist and pet owner to ensure that you or a team member: 1. Is aware of the specialist's recommendations 2. Can help the owner implement them. Table 3 on the website of the AAHA Nutritional
Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats provides an extensive list of resources, including nutrition specialty groups.
MAKING IT PROFITABLE Developing a healthy nutrition program should improve clinic sales of both therapeutic and main- tenance foods. Additionally, the practice can make decisions to stock treats and dietary supplements that complement nutritional recommendations, which can generate profit and better tie the client to the practice.
78 Today's Veterinary Practice July/August 2012
For more information on What to Include in Your Practice's Nutrition Message go to todaysveterinarypractice.com and select
Resources. BCS = body condition score; bwkg RER = resting energy requirement
= body weight in kg;
References 1. Industry statistics and trends. American Pet Products Association. Available at americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp.
2. Baldwin K, Bargest J, Buffington T, et al. AAHA nutritional assessment guidelines for dogs and cats. JAAHA 2010; 46(4):285-296.
3. Market report: Pet owners seek new information sources. PetFoodIndustry.com. Available at www.petfoodindustry.com/ Columns/Market_Report/Market_Report__Pet_owners_seek_new_ information_sources.html.
4. Hand MS, Novotny BJ. Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 4th ed. Topeka, KS: Mark Morris Institute, 2002, pp 14-15.
5. Zoran DL, Buffington TA. Effects of nutrition choices and lifestyle
changes on the well-being of cats, a carnivore that has moved indoors. JAVMA 2011; 239(5):596-606.
Heather Lynch, RVT, LVT, is the technical director at Tatum Point Animal Hospital in Phoenix, Ari- zona. She previously spent over 10 years working as the supervis- ing technician in internal medicine at the VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center in San Diego, California. She is a co-
author of Evaluation of Detemir Insulin in Diabetic Dogs Managed with Home Blood Glucose Monitoring (2010 ACVIM Proceedings) and is a regular speaker at local and national veterinary conferences, most recently AVMA and Western Veterinary Conference. Ms. Lynch is happy to be contacted at heather@tatumpointanimalhosp.com.
IN SUMMARY With increasing complexity in the pet food market, pet owners are consistently bombarded with informa- tion regarding pet nutrition. This
environment provides
an opportunity for veterinary professionals to provide pet owners with individualized nutrition recommendations, which benefits the owner, pet, and practice. It is also an aspect of care that can be directed by the veterinarian but implemented by the vet- erinary technician. Nutrition is, therefore, an exciting area where veterinary technicians
can potentiate their value by improving client care, satisfaction, and practice profitability. ■