Students interested in graduate studies in companion animal nutrition have the opportunity to study in the CVM-Department of Veterinary Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS). Graduate training programs (M.S. and Ph.D.) with special emphasis on companion animal nutrition are relatively uncommon even among land-grant institutions where both Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Colleges of Agriculture exist. Thus the presence of an internationally recognized program for the advancement of companion animal nutrition in VSCS provides a unique strength at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Nutrition (IFN) on campus, the companion animal program bridges the more traditional nutrition programs in animal agriculture and life sciences. Few other North American universities are able to provide such formalized graduate training. At present , Dr. John E Bauer of VSCS serves as Chair of the IFN on campus. Dr. Zoran of VSCS is also a member of the IFN. The IFN is strongly committed to supporting a world-class graduate training program in the nutritional science.Graduate training in companion animal nutrition in VSCS spans a complete range of nutrition investigations from conducting clinical nutritional intervention trials of spontaneous disease to addressing fundamental questions of nutritional biochemistry. Faculty interests include such areas as lipid metabolism, xenobiotics, energetics and obesity, metabolic disease management, nutraceuticals, and dietary fiber effects on colon health. New studies on the effects of dietary fatty acids during gestation and lactation on neurological development, diet management of inherited canine hereditary nephritis, biomarkers of mycotoxins in companion animals, and the use of hydrolyzed dietary protein sources to manage dietary hypersensitivity problems have recently begun.
Students in the VSCS nutrition program have won several awards based on their research presentations at national meetings including those at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Annual Forum. Graduates have advanced into careers as research scientists with pet food companies, private consultants, and human hospital dieticians. With the ongoing development of improved nutrition of our companion animals, this part of the VSCS mission will continue to meet the needs of the pet owning public and the generation of new knowledge in nutrition.
