Why a Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist Matters in Pet Food
Not all pet food nutrition credentials are equal. Some “nutrition” certifications require only eight hours of online coursework, while a board-certified veterinary nutritionist completes roughly twelve years of total animal education. Here is why that distinction matters for the food you choose.
More Than a Certificate
Nutrition is such a complex topic. Just look at humans – the food pyramid, political opinion, and a constant debate on what makes the best diet. Animal nutrition is no different. The frightening thing is someone can become certified as a “NAVC Pet Nutrition Coach” after just eight hours of online learning. These types of “credentials” can unknowingly lead pet owners down a path to selecting a food that is not optimal for their pet. This is why the gold standard for nutrition education in the pet food industry is either a full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist (a veterinarian who then does four additional years of training in animal nutrition, typically twelve years of total animal education) or a PhD in animal nutrition (ten years of education) on staff.
Brands That Meet the Gold Standard
The following companies control the whole manufacturing process AND have a boarded veterinary nutritionist or PhD animal nutritionist on staff:
- Hill’s Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive) – all recipes produced in owned USA facilities; multiple DVMs and PhD nutritionists on staff with a longstanding nutrition research program
- Purina (Nestle) – 24 owned facilities across the US and Canada; multiple board-certified veterinary nutritionists (DACVNs) on staff
- Royal Canin (Mars Petcare) – owned plants including a new $450M facility in Lewisburg, Ohio; veterinary nutritionists on staff
- Iams / Eukanuba (Mars Petcare) – manufactured within Mars-owned facilities; shares Mars Petcare’s veterinary nutrition research staff and infrastructure
- JustFoodForDogs – owned master kitchens in Irvine, CA and New Castle, DE built to human food production standards; a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DVM, DACVIM Nutrition) on staff
- Freshpet – owns its own refrigerated manufacturing kitchens; full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionists (DACVNs) and PhD animal nutritionists on staff
- Farmina – 150,000 sq ft owned facility in North Carolina; a DVM with a concurrent PhD in Animal Nutrition leads the formulation team, supported by a Scientific Committee that includes a University of Naples professor of Animal Nutrition
- Midwestern Pet Foods (Earthborn Holistic) – owned manufacturing facilities; board-certified PhD nutritionist on staff formulating recipes
A board-certified nutritionist on staff is one of the key things to look for when evaluating a pet food company. See how it fits into the bigger picture in our complete pet food label guide.
A great recipe still needs a manufacturer who controls its own production. Read Who Is Really Making Your Pet’s Food?
Have questions about your pet’s specific diet? Our veterinary team is happy to walk through your pet’s current food at any wellness visit. Schedule a visit with Healthy Paws Animal Hospital.