2. Alternative diets
197,00 €
This is the second module of Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy.
The full bundle of 60-hour program (12 modules) is available here: Vet Clinical Nutrition – 60-hour course
In this module, we focus on unconventional diets (home‑made; raw, cooked ect.)
• “Is it Safe? Nutritious? Right for the pet?” evaluation model
• Detecting nutrient gaps & common imbalances
• Microbial hazards in raw diets – risk mitigation
• Owner belief systems & feeding philosophy
• Environmental and food-safety considerations
• Support vet’s in neutral, evidence-based guidance
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing this module, you will be able to:
- Evaluate raw, home cooked and vegan diets for nutritional adequacy, ingredient quality, food safety and microbiological risk.
- Identify appropriate risk mitigation strategies and key counselling points when discussing owner selected or alternative diets.
- Determine when a home prepared diet can be balanced within practice and when it is advisable to refer for full formulation by a nutrition specialist.
Schedule
2 Dec 2025 – Pre‑recorded material (1 h)
16 Dec 2025 – Live: cases + Q&A (2 h)
Total ~3 h
(Live sessions take place at 7:30 p.m. CEST via Google Meet.)
Live meetings include case discussions and small-group workshops.The course also includes supporting literature, practical tools, knowledge-check quizzes, and access to a private Facebook community.
It is conducted in English.
This is a fully online program that you can complete from anywhere, at your own pace.
This lectures offer a balanced and evidence based overview of how to evaluate unconventional diets fed to dogs and cats. It explores the growing diversity of feeding practices, including homemade and fresh cooked diets, raw diets, mixed approaches and other non commercial options chosen by pet owners for a variety of reasons.
Participants learn how to assess these diets using the three question framework introduced earlier in the course (“Safe? Nutritious? Right for the pet?”), ensuring a consistent and objective method of evaluation regardless of the feeding style. The lecture covers key aspects such as nutritional adequacy, ingredient selection, food safety and microbiological considerations. Both potential benefits and limitations of each dietary approach are discussed in a clear and unbiased way.
The session also highlights the broader context in which feeding decisions are made. This includes the owner’s goals and beliefs, cultural and social influences, trends in the pet food world and the practical realities of preparing homemade diets. Participants receive tools to understand the owner’s perspective, interpret diet information accurately and provide guidance that respects the chosen feeding method while ensuring the health and safety of the animal.
By the end of this lecture, veterinarians and pet nutrition professionals will feel confident evaluating a wide range of alternative diets and communicating their findings constructively, with a focus on supporting informed, safe and nutritionally balanced choices across different feeding practices.
Dr Moran Tal-Gavriel, BSc, DVM, DVSc, Dip ECVCN
Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition
She has a multidisciplinary background that spans clinical practice, public health, academic research, and the pet food industry. She is first and foremost passionate about supporting pets and their families, striving to create nutrition strategies that improve health and quality of life.
She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) from the University of Guelph, where her research focused on feline obesity and the gastrointestinal microbiome. Her academic work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, and she continues to serve on advisory boards supporting graduate student development. After several years with Royal Canin in a global role focused on nutritional product development and international regulatory advocacy, Dr. Tal-Gavriel returned to clinical practice in 2024.
She first served as a Veterinary Nutritionist at Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic, supporting specialists with nutrition strategies for complex medical cases. She then founded VetWell Nutrition, an independent platform providing expert nutrition services to veterinarians, pet owners and the pet food industry.
Most recently, Dr. Tal-Gavriel joined Open Farm as Head of Veterinary Nutrition, expanding her impact in the pet food industry by driving evidence-based product innovation and nutritional excellence. Through her dual roles at Open Farm and VetWell Nutrition, she delivers individualized nutrition plans for pets with medical or wellness needs, offers clinical support to veterinarians through direct case collaboration, and consults for pet food companies on science-based formulation, innovation, and compliance.
Above all, Dr. Tal-Gavriel’s approach blends clinical expertise, scientific evidence, and regulatory insight with a heartfelt commitment to improving pets’ lives. She is dedicated to empowering veterinary teams and pet owners alike with practical, impactful nutritional solutions that truly support the health and wellness of the animals she serves.
The VCNA course has been designed primarily for veterinarians who wish to deepen their expertise in the dietary management of canine and feline diseases.
It is also suitable for veterinary technicians, animal nutritionists, veterinary students, and pet food professionals interested in the clinical application of nutrition.
