BVA launches policy position on dietary choices
Forty-two per cent of vets have seen clients who feed meat-free diets.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is aiming to get veterinary surgeons and clients to talk more about food as it publishes its new policy position on dietary choices for cats and dogs.
The document has been created to support veterinary surgeons in providing dietary advice to clients at a time when many pet owners are choosing non-traditional diets for their cats and dogs, often based on their own personal beliefs and lifestyle choices.
New data from the BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey has revealed that 94 per cent of companion animal veterinary surgeons reported having clients who fed a raw diet. Forty-two per cent had seen clients who fed meat-free diets, and 29 per cent said they had clients who fed insect-protein instead of meat.
The policy position doesn’t set out the ‘best’ diet for individual pets, but focuses on supporting pet owners with making sure their pets have a suitable diet that meets their nutritional needs. It acknowledges the complexity of trying to balance an environmentally sustainable diet with making sure that a pet still has a healthy diet.
The position asks veterinary surgeons to talk with clients about their pets’ diets. Currently, many owners get information about pet diets from sources other than veterinary professionals.
The BVA also wants to see veterinary surgeons record nutritional histories and any resulting issues. It is hoped this information could help provide a clearer picture of the long-term impact of some of the newer diets.
As part of its work on the issue, the BVA is also planning to create a new public-facing resource on dietary choices and to lobby for improved labelling of pet food.
Anna Judson, BVA president, said: “The issues around pet food are complex and with so much information available to pet owners from breeders, friends, online forums and other sources, we want to support all members of the vet team to feel fully confident in guiding their clients through dietary decisions.
“We hope that these recommendations and our upcoming resources will improve the information available to both clients and vets, supporting owners to make healthy, informed choices for their pets.”
The full policy position can be read here.
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