Nutrition veterinary technician specialty announced

Just months after the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) announced its ninth specialty, clinical practice, the association has approved a 10th specialty: nutrition.

As team members, veterinary technicians are already in an ideal position to talk to pet owners about the importance of nutrition. The Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians' (AVNT) goal is to further promote technicians as nutritional point persons by providing them with necessary skills and knowledge. “Nutrition is one area of veterinary medicine that affects every pet that comes into the hospital," says Kara Burns, MS, Med, LVT, and chair of AVNT. "Every pet has nutritional needs, and a nutrition technician can focus on nutrition management that supports wellness and therapeutic care."

Like all other NAVTA academies, the AVNT will acknowledge veterinary technicians for achieving advanced education, training, and experience in their area of specialization, says Amy Butzier, CVT, VTS (Equine), and chair of the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties. Butzier says she and the association are thrilled to see an increasing number of veterinary technicians seeking the new specialty. “It truly helps the entire veterinary health care team and the services we can provide,” says Butzier.

For more information on the AVNT, visit the academy's website.

The NAVTA specialty academies now include: nutrition, clinical practice, dentistry, anesthesia, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, surgical, equine, zoology, and behavior.