Pet Nutrition at OVC

09/17/2025

We are still recruiting dogs for this exciting new study in Guelph, ON!

Please feel free to share with your network 🐶

Do you have a dog suffering from osteoarthritis? if so, we want to help! A new study from our team seeks to evaluate the health effects of seal oil versus salmon oil in dogs with osteoarthritis.

Dog food and supplements will be provided for over 4 months! For more information, complete the 15-20 minute online screening survey found at https://brnw.ch/21wQOh3

This project has been reviewed by the Research Ethics Board for compliance with federal guidelines for research involving human participants(REB 23-09-013). All experimental procedures for this study are approved by the University of Guelph Animal Care committee (AUP #5093).

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Brooklynn Liversidge at bliversi@uoguelph.ca

09/10/2025

The OVC Pet Nutrition Team had an incredible time at the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ESVCN) congress in Leipzig last week 🇩🇪

📸 Swipe through to see:
1️⃣ Past and present team members representing the OVC Pet Nutrition Team in Germany at the Congress Gala Dinner
2️⃣ Brooklynn Liversidge, PhD Candidate, presenting her research on EPA and DHA in joint health diets
3️⃣ Shawna Morrow, PhD student, sharing insights on veterinary communication strategies around pet obesity
4️⃣ Shawna again, this time with her poster on pet guardian attitudes toward physical therapy and nutritional counselling
5️⃣ Dr. Hannah Godfrey presenting her work on dietary macronutrients and feline cardiovascular function
6️⃣ And finally, Hannah received the ESVCN-Waltham Award for her outstanding presentation — see you all at AAVN 2026, where she’ll be presenting again as part of her award! 🎉🐾

We’re proud of the team’s contributions to advancing pet nutrition research and grateful for the opportunity to connect with colleagues from around the world. 🌍💙

09/02/2025

08/28/2025

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟
Our summer students — Julia, Mariana, and Emily — recently presented their research projects at the Ontario Veterinary College’s Summer Career Opportunities & Research Exploration (SCORE) program! 🐾📚

SCORE is designed to spark student interest in research and highlight its impact across veterinary medicine and beyond.

✨ Here’s a look at their work:
🔹 Julia explored the influence of pet guardian nutrition practices on canine nutritional care.
🔹 Mariana investigated the role of dietary fibre in managing canine diabetes mellitus.
🔹 Emily examined how feeding frequency affects the metabolic signature of domestic cats.

👏 A big congratulations to Julia, Mariana, and Emily — your hard work and dedication this summer have been truly inspiring!

And a special thank you to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Purina Canada, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for funding for our summer student positions 🐾


Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph OVC Pet Trust

08/20/2025

🐾 New Blog Alert! 🐾

Is your pet struggling with weight loss, diarrhea, or poor coat quality? Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) could be the culprit. In our latest blog, we explore nutritional strategies to help pets with EPI thrive, from enzyme supplementation to diet adjustments. 🥩🥦

📖 Read now to learn how proper nutrition can make a world of difference: https://ovcpetnutrition.uoguelph.ca/2025/08/20/nutritional-approaches-to-exocrine-pancreas-insufficiency-epi/ 🔗✨

08/12/2025

08/11/2025

Exciting times for Ontario Veterinary College and our OVC Pet Nutrition Team!

Thank you to Hill’s Pet Nutrition as we launch the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Weight Care Program at OVC 🐶🐱

07/30/2025

Let’s talk about digestive health for your dog! More specifically, the benefits of prebiotic supplementation.

We’ve GUT all the information you need, just check out our blog post linked below!
https://ovcpetnutrition.uoguelph.ca/2025/07/30/prebiotics-for-dogs-what-are-they-and-how-can-they-help-your-pet/



Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph

07/23/2025

📢 New research alert! 🐾 Dr. Francisco Poblanno Silva and colleagues at the OVC Pet Nutrition Research Lab has just published the paper titled " Energy Intake Recommendations from Cat Food Labels Sold in Ontario, Canada, Diverge from Predictive Equations for Adult Cat Maintenance" in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). 📚

Head to our blog to read about the highlights of our findings and their implications for the future of pet nutrition research and a link to the full article! 🔬https://sites.uoguelph.ca/ovcpetnutrition/2025/07/23/new-publication-energy-intake-recommendations-from-cat-food-labels-sold-in-ontario-canada-diverge-from-predictive-equations-for-adult-cat-maintenance/

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph

07/17/2025

🎉 Huge congratulations to all the incredible students who showcased their research at the OVC Graduate Student Research Symposium! The depth and diversity of work on display was truly inspiring.

A special shoutout to our very own, Hannah Godfrey, for winning 1st place in the poster competition! 🏆 Your dedication and hard work continue to shine—well deserved!

Thank you to the Ontario Veterinary College and the Symposium organizing committee for another great symposium 🐶

On July 8, the Ontario Veterinary College hosted its 2025 Graduate Student Research Symposium—a full day of research presentations, posters and community connection!

The event opened with a panel discussion on Combating Social Isolation and Forging Collaborations in Research, where OVC experts explored the importance of connection in academic life.

Graduate students delivered outstanding oral and poster presentations on topics ranging from equine vascular disease and bovine reproduction to feline nutrition and wildlife surveillance.

Congratulations to all our presentation winners and a big thank you to everyone who helped make the day possible. Your passion and dedication continue to push the boundaries of veterinary science.

📖 Read the full article and meet our panelists and student winners: https://bit.ly/40n64I0

07/09/2025

On July 9th, members of the OVC Pet Nutrition Team—PhD candidate Brooklynn Liversidge, Dr. Hannah Godfrey, and PhD student Shawna Morrow—shared their innovative research at the 2025 Ontario Veterinary College Graduate Student Research Symposium!

👏 A special congratulations to Dr. Hannah Godfrey for receiving 1st place in the poster presentation competition, earning her a spot at the Canadian Emerging Veterinary Scholars Summit (CEVSS)!

Photos 1-3 showcase their contributions:

1: Left: Hannah receiving her award. Top right: Hannah presenting her research on how dietary macronutrients influence cardiac function in cats. Bottom right: Hannah presenting her research on dietary macronutrient influence on body composition and glucose/insulin responses in cats.

2: Brooklynn presenting her research comparing veterinary therapeutic vs. over-the-counter joint health diets.

3: Shawna presenting her research on communication and documentation practices for canine obesity among veterinary professionals.

Join us in congratulating them on their successful presentations and contributions to advancing veterinary nutrition! 🐶🐱

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph Mitacs Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Champion Petfoods

07/02/2025

🎓 Another milestone achieved! Join us in congratulating Hannah Godfrey for successfully defending their thesis on “Dietary macronutrients in feline health and metabolism”. Their dedication to pet nutrition research is truly commendable! 🐾🔬

Thank you to the sponsors, Mitacs, NSERC, and Champion Petfoods for your contribution to this research.

Read more about Hannah's thesis here: https://ovcpetnutrition.uoguelph.ca/2025/07/02/congratulations-hannah-godfrey-on-a-successful-phd-defence/

Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph Mitacs Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Champion Petfoods