International
experts discuss advances in puppy and kitten health
care
200
veterinarians from across Europe and South Africa joined
The Iams Company on the 29th January in Seville, Spain,
for the 10th Iams Clinical Nutrition Symposium on "Advances
in puppy & kitten health care". A panel of
world-class speakers, chaired by Professor David Church
from The Royal Veterinary College, UK, presented practical
clinical information for veterinarians.
Topics
included the first ever groundbreaking study by The
Iams Company showing a significant link in puppies between
the fatty acid DHA, a brain-building nutrient, and improved
cognitive function. Puppies nourished with a high dietary
level of DHA were consistently twice as successful at
picking up training shapes, used to asses their cognition,
than those fed a lower DHA level. Training is one of
the biggest challenges and concerns facing new puppy
owners and anti-social puppy behaviour is one of the
most common reasons for puppy abandonment, the fact
that food may be able to address this issue is a breakthrough
development, was well received by veterinarians and
animal behaviourists. Dr Peter Willatts, a human psychologist
from the University of Dundee in the UK, and a specialist
in cognition of infants and children, provided a fascinating
comparative overview of infant and child studies where
fatty acids such as DHA have positively impacted their
mental development, especially in the area of learning.
The
importance of nutrition and early learning and their
impact on optimising puppy and kitten development was
further discussed by leading experts in nutrition and
companion animal behaviour. Professor Jürgen Zentek,
from the Veterinary University in Vienna provided an
overview of the nutrition of puppies and kittens, including
the importance of maternal nutrition, both in utero
and during lactation. Sarah Heath, the President of
the European Society for Veterinary Clinical Ethology
provided practical behavioural advice for new puppy
and kitten owners, highlighting that 4-8 weeks of age
is now considered to be the critical age to expose puppies
to external stimulation.
Other
eminent speakers included Dr Ralf Mueller from the University
of Munich who presented on skin and coat health care,
Professor Stan Marks of University of California, Davis,
covered the medical approach to puppies and kittens
with diarrhoea, Professor Herman Hazewinkel from Utrecht
University presented the consequences of nutrition on
skeletal development in puppies, and Dr Peter Fahrenkrug
a Fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry from
Quickborn, Germany, presented on both paedodontics and
practice management for new puppy and kitten owners.
"Overall,
the Iams Clinical Nutrition Symposium provided a comprehensive
and practical clinical reference for veterinarians on
some of the commonest problems, and their management,
seen in young companion animals today" commented
one delegate.
Presentations
from this latest Iams Clinical Nutrition Symposium are
available on DVD and the Proceedings can be found in
a downloadable format at www.eukanuba-scienceonline.com
.
More information on the Iams Company, university programmes,
super premium Eukanuba, Iams and Eukanuba Veterinary
diets and a large number of scientific publications,
proceedings from previous Iams Clinical Nutrition Symposia
and extracts can be found at www.eukanuba-scienceonline.com
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