Proper nutrition is one of the most important factors in the management of health and disease in pets. Veterinary healthcare teams that understand and embrace clinical nutrition and demonstrate in-clinic behaviors consistent with that conviction will benefit not only patients and clients but also their practice and the profession.

Pet owners have access to vast information resources and are subsequently becoming more educated and bringing detailed questions to the healthcare team. This provides an excellent opportunity for the veterinary team to properly educate the client. Integrating nutritional assessments into a practice requires commitment and engagement of the entire veterinary team. This dedication and participation in developing a strong nutrition program will promote success, optimal pet health, the client-pet relationship, and a long-term client relationship with the practice. There are many benefits to implementing a team approach to the practice mission and the veterinary team. The veterinary technician is poised to lead the initiative to provide nutritional care for all patients. Group effort increases efficiency by distributing workload and delivering an integrated cohesive message about the importance of nutrition and the value of preventive care. When roles are delegated, everyone contributes to success and individual motivation increases to accomplish results.