6. Gastrointestinal Diseases
369,00 €
This is the sixth 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 targeted nutritional strategies for complex gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in dogs and cats. Participants explore the pathophysiology, dietary requirements and tailored interventions for acute and chronic GI disorders, with emphasis on evidence based approaches that support recovery and long term stability.
Key topics include:
• Hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome, chronic enteropathies, protein losing enteropathies and colitis
• Lymphangiectasia and short bowel syndrome
• Etiopathogenesis overview for major GI conditions
• Key nutritional factors and evidence based supplementation
• Diet selection strategies for GI recovery and long term maintenance feeding
• Microbiome modulation: probiotics, prebiotics and Fecal Microbiota Transplant Therapy (FMT)
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing this module, you will be able to:
• Choose appropriate diet characteristics, including digestibility, fat content and fibre profile, for patients with gastritis, acute GI disease and chronic enteropathies (CE).
• Implement probiotic and prebiotic strategies in cases where scientific evidence supports clinical benefit.
• Construct step up and step down feeding plans that guide patients safely from the acute phase through stabilization and nutritional recovery.
Schedule:
12 Mar 2026 – Pre‑recorded material (2 h)
19 Mar 2026 – Live: cases + Q&A (2 h)
26 Mar 2026 – Live: cases + Q&A (2 h)
Total ~6 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 module provides a comprehensive, evidence based exploration of gastrointestinal diseases in dogs and cats and the role of nutrition in their management. Participants review the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation and progression of key disorders, including hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome, chronic enteropathies (CE), protein losing enteropathy, lymphangiectasia and short bowel syndrome.
A major focus is placed on dietary modification tailored to individual GI phenotypes. This includes selecting appropriate levels of digestibility, determining suitable fat content, adjusting fibre type and quantity and identifying when specialized therapeutic diets are required for acute recovery or long term control. The module further explores evidence based supplementation, including omega-3 fatty acids, cobalamin and targeted prebiotic and probiotic support.
Participants also gain an understanding of microbiome focused therapies, including the clinical rationale for probiotic and prebiotic use and an introduction to Fecal Microbiota Transplant Therapy as a developing tool for chronic GI disease.
The module concludes with practical instruction on designing step up and step down feeding plans, supporting clinicians in guiding patients through acute stabilization, nutritional rehabilitation and long term maintenance.
By the end of this module, participants will feel confident in selecting, adapting and monitoring dietary strategies for a wide spectrum of GI diseases, from acute conditions to chronic relapsing enteropathies.
Dr Kerstin Gerstner, DVM, Dr. med. vet., Dip ECVCN
Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition
She obtained her veterinary degree by the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany in 2009. Her doctoral thesis – at the Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland (“Disturbed eating at high altitude”, Dr. med. vet., 2012) was followed by one year as a postdoctoral research assistant. She was the first resident completing a standard residency program of the European College for Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition at the Institute of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Zurich (EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition, 2018). As a research assistant at the Institute of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Zurich until 2021 Kerstin focused on clinical nutrition provided by the veterinary nutrition consultation service, was involved in teaching of students, veterinarians as well as pet owners and was part of various research projects. From 2022 Kerstin follows her passion in clinical nutrition and dietetics, spreading scientifically based knowledge to support pet’s health by healthy, individually suitable nutrition as veterinary specialist in Marigin Zentrum für Tiermedizin, a big veterinary clinic and referral centre in Feusisberg, Switzerland. “My daily motivation is to impart scientifically based specialized veterinary knowledge in order to support our pets with balanced nutrition as an essential basis for life and health. It fascinates me that even with more than 10 years of experience in this field, every day brings something new, no two cases are the same and every animal benefits from an individually adapted diet.”
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.
