BCVN vs Vet-Approved

Behind every truly good bowl of dog food is more than just a list of ingredients. It is the work of science, precision, and the right kind of expertise.

Board-certified veterinary nutritionists are vets who go several steps further, dedicating years to advanced training in animal nutrition. While regular vets play a vital role in keeping dogs healthy day to day, nutritionists focus deeply on how food affects growth, digestion, long-term health, and disease prevention.

Let's explore why their role matters so much in dog food formulation, and what sets them apart when it comes to creating diets your dog can truly thrive on.

Choosing a Pet Food

Many pet parents like yourself, take a lot of time and care in selecting premium nutritional food for their companion’s longevity. A balanced diet that is not only nutritious but also enjoyed is the foundation of a happy pup. Deciphering the most appropriate meals for an active puppy’s growth, to a more calorie-conscious meal for a sedentary but still lively senior, and everything in between can be challenging.

Even for veterinarians, the wealth of information and products available can be overwhelming and difficult to interpret. This is the case whether we have a healthy adult dog or one that may require a more specialised diet based on age or a health concern. You want to ensure that qualified professionals have helped create and tailor the food to your individual pooch’s needs.
 
Each of Petzyo’s recipes are formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists. So you can be confident that whatever meal you choose for your best friend - from the crunch of the dry dog food, to the chew of the fresh raw options - will provide a complete and balanced meal.

What’s in a name?

Having food formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists (BCVN) goes beyond vet-approved. The term nutritionist can be a vague term, but those able to call themselves veterinary nutritionists are specialist vets. Specifically equipped with knowledge from veterinary school enhanced with knowledge of species-specific nutritional requirements and physiology. They are involved throughout the formulation process, through to quality control and packaging processes, to be able to create a tailored food for specific digestive systems and metabolic requirements.

Even comparing a Chihuahua puppy to a senior Great Dane requires intricate knowledge. Vet-approved is not without professional knowledge, but usually occurring in the post-formulation stage and without the comprehensive nutritional knowledge that veterinary nutritionists have acquired.

Process to board certification?

To be able to use the qualification BCVN is from the most knowledgeable and prestigious qualification globally for animal nutrition development. This differs from animal nutritionist or endorsed by a vet. Whilst veterinary school is no easy feat, there is a lot to fit in! And so much more is now known about physiology and nutritional requirements of our companion animals – there is a specialty in this. It is a committed education path improving the life of pets, which is backed by Petzyo recipes.

A BCVN in Australia must first complete vet school: a minimum of 5 years of tertiary (university) study. Following this, at least one year of clinical experience, then nutrition-specific training including internship and completion of a specialist residency program (similar to human medicine specialty training) for an additional 2-3 years. Diplomates must also have a peer-reviewed research article published. And ultimately, once this rigorous training and final examinations are passed, allow a veterinarian to be granted status as a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist. Veterinary nutritionists are recognised as Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition), or the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN).

How does this help my pet?

You can be assured that pet meals that have had veterinary nutritionists involved in the formulation process are utilising knowledge from the experts. Giving you the confidence that you are offering a fully balanced meal to your pet. Quality control of food and analysis is undertaken through all creation stages. Use of peer-reviewed research in academic journals ensure the recipes are not only specifically tailored, but include knowledge of the safety of macronutrient ingredients as well as the much smaller ingredient components too – to complete a fully balanced meal. Veterinary nutritionists need to be open to improving and supporting the ongoing health of our pets by investigating new ingredients, such as that seen in Petzyo’s Eco Woofer.

As with human health, nutrition plays such an important role to support physical and emotional wellbeing and management of diagnosed disease states through all life stages of our pets. 
 
Discuss with your vet to determine if your dog needs any special dietary considerations. Have a wellness check to see if their current diet is meeting their health needs. Petzyo offers board-certified veterinary nutritionist planned diet formulations – from dry dog food for all life stages, and varied health considerations, to raw food for those pets that prefer the more wholefood experience.
 

References

• https://www.dvm360.com/view/nutrition-credentials-and-their-role-in-pet-food-formulation
• https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Selecting-a-pet-food-for-your-pet-updated-2021_WSAVA-Global-Nutrition-Toolkit.pdf
• https://becomeanutritionist.org/careers/veterinary-nutritionist/
  https://www.acvim.org/about-acvim