Starting this issue, qnotes debuts its new pet column as we continue to unroll new features in this new year. Every other issue, we will feature expert advice and commentary for your beloved pets. Are you a pet owner and have advice or a funny story? Own a business catering to the needs of pets and want to chime in? We’re accepting submissions for the new column. Email your ideas or your writing, approximately 600 words or less, to editor@qnotescarolinas.com.
Specialists with the Nutrition Service at N.C. State University’s Veterinary Health and Wellness Center provide nutritional recommendations and feeding plans for the medical and surgical services at the Veterinary Health Complex, offer owners diet and nutrition support for their animals, and conduct research that informs both animal and human health.
The Nutrition Service works closely with the Critical Care Service in the Randall B. Terry, Jr. Companion Animal Veterinary Medical Center in providing various assisted and minimally invasive tube feedings, as well as intravenous nutrition. The nutritionists also work closely with Internal Medicine, Surgery, Oncology, the Rehabilitation and Mobility Service and other specialized services to provide state-of-the-art individualized nutritional plans for patients with various medical conditions.
Nutrition specialists also can work directly with owners to explain the best dietary options for the pet or animal, including commercial diet recommendations for patients, critical care nutrition for inpatients, customized weight loss programs and nutritional consultation for metabolic diseases such as diabetes, kidney and liver diseases or urinary stones.
Head of service Dr. Korinn Saker, associate professor of clinical nutrition and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and her staff can evaluate an animal’s diet and, if necessary, suggest appropriate changes to ensure a complete and balanced dietary intake for the animal. The staff can also formulate a complete and balanced home-prepared therapeutic diet if there are no appropriate commercial diet options or if the owner desires to prepare home-cooked food for the animal.
Nutrition consults–owners: Consults may be via telephone/ Skype, email, or in-person visit. The nutrition specialists will work in conjunction with the local primary care veterinarian as well as with any N.C. State colleagues as appropriate. For an owner consultation request, visit bit.ly/M4yDmf.
Nutrition consults–veterinarians: The Nutrition Service offers telephone/Skype, or email consults to veterinarians for a variety of medical conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease, cancer, gastrointestinal disease, allergies, challenging cases with more than one medical condition or to support an owner with a keen interest in commercial or homemade diets. For a veterinarian consultation request, visit bit.ly/1mCU6xa or see an online form at bit.ly/1mRguWC.
For more information, visit the Nutrition Service webpage at ncstatevets.org/small/nutrition/ for services, fees and appointments or call 919-513-6999. : :