Clinical Nutrition I

Name: Clinical Nutrition I
Start: 2026-05-18T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-05-22T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Vienna, Austria

Applied Clinical Nutrition - Basics

Principal Course Master(s):

Dr. Irene Bruckner, specialist in veterinary nutrition and dietetics (AT)

Course Master(s):

Dr. Stefanie Handl, specialist in veterinary nutrition and dietetics, Dipl. ECVCN (AT)

Course Overview

This first, mandatory course in clinical nutrition provides a comprehensive refresher on nutrition physiology and its clinical applications. Participants will review the anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract, digestion, and nutrient absorption across species, linking these processes to health and disease.
The course emphasizes practical nutritional assessment – from obtaining feeding histories and identifying common mistakes to advising owners on diet types and evaluating commercial pet foods. Topics include pet food production, ingredients, labeling, legal regulations, as well as common myths and misunderstandings about commercial pet food.
Participants will also learn the principles for calculating home-made diets using ration calculation software for dogs and cats of all life stages. Feeding trends from raw feeding (“BARF”) to vegetarian and vegan feeding will be evaluated.
Workshops and case discussions will strengthen practical skills like body condition scoring and diet evaluation.

Course Program (Subject to change)

Monday, 18 May 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Welcome and registration
09:00 – 09:45 Introduction: Anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract (Quiz)
09:45 – 10:30 Comparative physiology of digestion
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Fundamentals of chemical feed analysis and calculations
11:45 – 12:30 Which patients require a diet? Group discussion
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:15 What do our patients need? Overview on nutrient requirements
15:15 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 16:30 Continuation nutrient and energy requirements
16:30 – 17:30 Which ingredients contain which nutrients? (Game)
17:30 Welcome Drinks

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Recap from Monday (Quiz)
09:00 – 10:30 Practical role play: obtaining a feeding history including BCS, MCS
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Recap Physiology (Game)
11:45 – 12:30 Group discussion: The owners´ perspective – understanding what they need
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:00 Feeding methods, types of food, feeding behaviour
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 Workshop: debunking common myths, misunderstandings and “Dr. Google” diagnosis
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap up of the day

Wednesday, 20 May 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Recap from Tuesday (Quiz)
09:00 – 10:30 Nutrition in different life stages incl. growth curves
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30 Homemade diet basics
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:00 Calculations workshop, healthy pets
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 FEDIAF guidelines and quality assessment
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap up of the day

Thursday, 21 May 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Recap from Wednesday (Quiz)
09:00 – 10:30 “Trendy feeding” – from BARF to vegan incl. calculations
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30 “Trendy feeding” – from BARF to vegan incl. calculations
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:00 Insights into production and quality management of commercial pet foods
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 Human food toxic to pets
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap up of the day
Social Dinner

Friday, 22 May 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Recap from Thursday (Quiz)
09:00 – 10:00 EU legal basics & declaration
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:30 Group workshop: evaluating commercial diets
11:45 – 12:15 A scientific look on treats
12:15 Group Picture
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:00 Cat special: physiology and behaviour
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 Take home workshop / Summary / Discussion / Certificates