Martha Cline, DVM, DACVN

Title

Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist

Company

Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals

Panel discussion:

Fresh/human-grade pet food research and executive panel: Why digestibility, the microbiome and other factors differ —  Fresh and human-grade pet food, and similar formats and formulations, keep gaining in sales and popularity with pet owners, with more companies continuing to enter the category. This growth has spurred new research on nutritional aspects of such pet foods, showing that digestibility, microbial populations, nutrient:calorie ratios, energy estimates and other factors differ; they are not better or worse, just different. This has implications for ingredient sourcing, testing, feeding guidelines and other issues related to product development. Leading researchers will present highlights of their latest studies, then be joined by executives of fresh pet food companies for discussion and Q&A. Topics and experts include:

• Recent data on fresh and human-grade diets related to nutrient digestibility, fecal output and the microbiome — Kelly Swanson, Ph.D., professor of animal nutrition, University of Illinois
• Pet food categorization: not all calories are the same — Donna Raditic, DVM, CVA, DACVN, Nutrition and Integrative Medicine Consultants
• Implications of accurate energy estimates/feeding guidelines with veterinarians, pet owners in mind — Martha Cline, DVM, DACVN, Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals
• Executives joining the panel discussion include Gerardo Perez-Camargo, DVM, PhD., Freshpet; Oscar Chavez, BVetMed, MRCVS, JustFoodForDogs; and Justin Shmalberg, DVM, DACVN, DAVSMR, NomNomNow

Experience:

Martha Cline, DVM, DACVN, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a small animal rotating internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey, and then returned to the University of Tennessee for a small animal clinical nutrition residency. She is board certified with the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. In 2013, she joined the staff at Red Bank Veterinary Hospitals in New Jersey where she currently practices small animal clinical nutrition full time. Cline is also a member of the Specialty Advisory Board for Compassion First Pet Hospitals.