How to have proactive, judgement-free nutrition conversations with clients

Nutrition plays a major role in the health of animals. The diet a pet receives leading up to a medical procedure, such as surgery, can significantly healing and recovery. During a session at the Fetch Long Beach dvm360 conference in California, Vicky Ograin, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition), talked about the effect of nutrition on patients, walking attendees through how she navigates these conversations with her clients.

“When we think about a patient that's going to have surgery, I hope that we all realize that nutrition is extremely important,” Ograin began.¹ “If you have a pet that's malnutritioned and you're taking them into surgery, the opportunity for them to heal as well is not going to be as good.”

She emphasized that nutritional status matters for all surgical patients, from those undergoing routine procedures such as spay/neuter surgeries to pets facing more complex procedures. “All of these patients need to be in a good surgical lane,” she emphasized.

Asking “what else?” during the nutrition conversation

According to Ograin, veterinary professionals should assess nutritional status every time a patient presents to the hospital, particularly when surgery is involved. An accurate diet history is a key component of this assessment.

One challenge veterinary professionals often face, however, is uncovering the full scope of what a pet is eating, including treats and table foods. Because some clients may feel embarrassed admitting they feed items like buttered toast or ice cream, Ograin stressed the importance of maintaining a nonjudgmental approach.

“The biggest thing [for obtaining an accurate diet history] is you cannot do [it] with judgment,” Ograin said. “This is the biggest thing. We're an extremely empathetic group of people, but there are some times when your face gives you away and you're [thinking], you feed what now?”

She explained that she begins the nutrition conversation by asking clients what they are currently feeding the pet, keeping the question open-ended to allow the owner room to talk. Most importantly, she follows up by asking, “what else?” 

“I'll give you a good example,” Ograin explained. “I had an owner with 2 overweight Jack Russell [Terriers]. The room technician had [obtained] a history of a regular dog food—dry and canned—[but] I went [into the room] and acted like I didn’t know that. I asked [the client] what [they were] feeding, and then I [asked], ‘what else?’”

Ograin explained that by asking this question, she then learned that the dogs were also receiving toast. “Keeping the conversation going, I said, ‘Oh, well, do you put butter on the toast?’” Ograin continued, sharing that the dog was in fact, getting butter on the toast. Rather than expressing disapproval or judgement, Ograin leaned into curiosity and empathy. “Keeping the conversation going, I said, ‘You know what? Yeah, dry toast is kind of boring. Put a little butter on there. It makes it more tasty,’” she said, while documenting the information.

She continued following this format, asking the client what else they were feeding the dogs and sparking up small conversations to help the client feel more comfortable sharing. With this, Ograin was able to gain a clearer picture of the dogs’ true caloric intake.

Asking “why?” is just as important

In addition to asking “what else,” Ograin emphasized the importance of asking why an owner is feeding certain foods. Understanding the motivation behind feeding choices helps veterinary professionals align recommendations with the client’s values and emotional needs.

“What I always do is ask [clients], ‘Why?’ Why are you feeding [this] interesting combination of foods? Why are you feeding this [specific] food?’ And this really helps to establish their nutritional philosophy,” Ograin explained.

Understanding the reasoning behind an owner’s feeding choices can help veterinary professionals come up with a feeding plan that meet the clients halfway, creating a compromise that does not require eliminating treats entirely but still supports better nutrition. This approach allows for practical compromises that can lead to improved owner compliance. In the case Ograin described, the dogs ultimately lost weight once a collaborative plan was put in place.

Ograin also noted that the World Small Animal Veterinary Association has a nutritional handout that clinics can download and print for clients to complete ahead of appointments. However, she recommends still asking clients what else the patient is eating since many times, the owner will not note additional treats and table foods in handouts.

Takeaway

Talking with clients about their pet’s nutrition requires listening, remaining judgment-free, and prompting owners to share what else their pet is eating. A conversational approach that explores the client’s “why” can help veterinary professionals develop a more tailored plan that acknowledges the emotional role of treat-giving while still adhering to a healthier diet plan, ultimately keeping the surgical patient nutritionally on track to recovery.

Reference

1. Ograin V. Beyond the procedure: The role of nutrition in surgical recovery. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 Conference; December 5-6, 2025; Long Beach, CA.