UC-Davis opens pet-nutrition program

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – The WALTHAM UC Veterinary Medical Center – San Diego Clinical Nutrition Program is now open to provide pets, clients and DVMs with a new resource for veterinary health — nutritional treatment for ill or overweight pets.

Opened in late March, the facility offers individualized weight-loss and management regimens, follow-up care, recommendations for commercial or formulated home-prepared diets for disease prevention or treatment, parenteral nutrition formulations, nutritional support and consulting for critically ill animals, on-site appointments and remote consulting services.

WALTHAM partnered with UCVMC to provide start-up support for the program. "Initiation of the WALTHAM UCVMC-SD Clinical Nutrition Program will provide a unique opportunity to bring advanced nutrition for the maintenance of health and function to the care of companion animals," says Dr. Catherine Woteki, Global Director of Scientific Affairs for Mars, Inc., WALTHAM's parent company.

The program is built on a public-private partnership for the benefit of animals, says UCVMC Dean Bennie Osburn. "The school has had a strong and productive relationship with WALTHAM spanning several decades. This service incorporates the academic expertise and technology with the nutritional product and the commercial distribution of this service to help veterinarians treat critically ill animals," he says. "Both partners bring unique attributes together for the benefit of society and our animal companions."

The WALTHAM UCVMC-SD program complements the Nutritional Support Service at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Davis. Both locations incorporate research, veterinary instruction, student clinical training and resident specialty training into client services.

"As we make these services available for the first time in Southern California, our long-term goal is to raise awareness of the vital role of nutrition in animal health," says Andrea Fascetti, chief of service at the teaching hospital.