Nutrition
Nutrition is an important part of preventative health care and managing illnesses. Penn Vet is one of only a handful of veterinary schools in North America with a board-certified nutrition specialist. Through consultation with doctors in the clinic and with referring veterinarians, the Nutrition Service helps identify animals in the hospital that need nutritional support or special diets—not only critically ill patients, but also patients in the wards. Nutrition staff assist clinicians and nurses in selecting the proper food for patients with special needs and guide them through the bewildering selection of specialty foods for various medical conditions. The Nutrition Service also guides the long-term nutrition management of patients and is available to owners once the dog or cat is home.