Survey on the role of nutrition in first-opinion practices in Austria and Germany: An evaluation of knowledge, preferences and need for further education.

Abstract

A survey was conducted among first-opinion practices in Germany and Austria on dog nutrition consultation, food sold in the practice, recommendations given to owners, most commonly encountered consequences of malnutrition, need for further education and feeding of own dogs. Of the 169 participants, one third was from Austria, two thirds from Germany. Most practiced in the countryside or in suburbs, were female and between 36 and 55years old. The majority felt that nutrition has become an important topic, and that "feeding myths" were on the rise. However, only in 18% of the practices at least one staff member had further education in nutrition, while none of the participants had a national or international degree. Only half of our participants felt qualified to give nutrition advice. A nutritional assessment was not regularly performed, and the Body Condition Score was not regularly assessed, often only when health problems were obvious. If a homemade diet was requested, practitioners rather referred to a nutritionist, while 25% left it up to the owners. Most relied on traditional premium diets for their patients and also for their own dogs. Feeding myths seemed to be widespread among veterinarians, too; even Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding and diets not complying with EU legislation were recommended. There is obvious need for further education and specialization to establish nutrition consultation as a profitable service in small animal practice.