Dr Karolina Hołda - canine & feline nutrition

Ostatnie dni Black Week 🤩
-20% na kursy z I cyklu PRO, webinary, e-booki i kalkulatory.
-10% na II cykl PRO - Pakiet (VCNA - Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy)
-5% na pojedyncze moduły VCNA
Skorzystaj z okazji, która wraca tylko raz w roku. Wejdź na: karolinaholda.com/sklep
Zadbaj o rozwój i zdrowie zwierząt, które wspierasz na co dzień. To najlepszy czas, by nadrobić brakujące materiały i rozwijać swoje kompetencje w żywieniu psów i kotów.
PS. W lutym najbliższy egzamin z I cyklu PRO.

Moja siostra zbiera na wsparcie dla pieska, który trafił pod jej opiekę. Będziemy wdzięczne za każdą pomoc i udostępnianie zrzutki.
Chłopak dużo przeszedł 🙁, ale ma szanse na lepsze życie.

Zabieg stomatologiczny dla Roya | Pomagam.pl Hey! Jestem Roy, mam 9 lat. Mój los nie był łatwy do tej pory...Byłem wykorzystywany przez ludzi dla ich rozrywki,ale nie chcę grać na emocjach, więc do rzeczy bo naprawdę długo by opowiadać...Mam zęby w opłakanym stanie,co przekłada się na mój stan zdrowia. Moja pani,(mama Hania) pod...

I’m thrilled to share that the Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy has been approved by VetCEE (the Veterinary Continuous Education in Europe board)! 🎉
Our one-year international programme in clinical nutrition of dogs and cats is now officially recognised at Level 7 (Advanced, 3.6 ECTS).
This accreditation confirms the quality, independence and academic depth we’ve worked so hard to build.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) points are used by universities and professional bodies to compare learning achievements.
Having ECTS on your certificate means that your study hours and learning outcomes are recognised within the European academic framework - for example:
- they can support applications for postgraduate qualifications, residency programmes or CPD recognition,
- they can be transferred or recognised by universities when applying for further studies (e.g. MSc or diploma pathways),
- they demonstrate formal, verifiable postgraduate-level education in veterinary clinical nutrition.

💬 In other words, when you study with us, you’re not just learning - you’re joining a programme officially recognised at the European postgraduate standard.

Thank you to all who believed in this project - and to every participant who is already part of this growing learning community 💙

Everyone assumes insects are the greener protein but are they, really?
In pet food, black soldier fly and mealworm meals can match or even beat poultry on carbon footprint but only when you count the full picture: food-waste recycling, renewable energy, and smart feed substrates.

In my new article for PETS International magazine I look beyond the hype to see where insects truly make a difference - for nutrition, safety and sustainability alike.

🐛 The bug era isn’t crawling anymore - it’s learning to fly.

🐾 When diet is both the diagnosis and the treatment.
Did you know that in dogs with chronic diarrhea or vomiting, a properly chosen diet can reveal the diagnosis?
Food-Responsive Enteropathy (FRE) is the most common form of chronic enteropathy in dogs - and nutrition plays a key role in identifying it.
📊 Around 60–80% of dogs with chronic enteropathy show clinical improvement during a well-conducted elimination or hydrolyzed diet trial.
This makes FRE the leading subtype of canine chronic inflammatory enteropathies.

In practice:
FRE should be suspected in dogs with chronic vomiting, diarrhea, or weight loss lasting more than 3 weeks, after other causes have been ruled out.
Diagnosis requires a 2–4-week elimination trial using a novel or hydrolyzed protein diet, while monitoring progress with CCECAI and f***l score.
When the patient improves, the same diet should be continued for several weeks before carefully reintroducing the previous food.
If symptoms return, that confirms food-responsiveness — though only some dogs experience recurrence.

Why it matters:
FRE involves an immune-mediated response to dietary antigens, typically without the need for long-term immunosuppressive therapy.
Recognizing it early prevents unnecessary medication use, reduces intestinal inflammation, and improves prognosis.
📚 In a 2024 study of 222 dogs (Candellone et al., Vet Sci), over 80% achieved remission with diet alone, showing how effective nutritional management can be when applied systematically.

🎓 Learn how to design, monitor, and interpret elimination diets with confidence.
The Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy starts this Thursday!
👉 Link in the first comment

📖 Suggested reading:
Candellone, A. et al. (2024). Retrospective Study of 222 Dogs Suffering from Food-Responsive Enteropathy — Correlation with Clinical Variables, Diet and Breed. Veterinary Sciences, 11(7), 294.

📊 Monitoring Body Condition Score (BCS) and Muscle Condition Score (MCS) should be at the center of every nutritional evaluation of senior pets.

👉 A dog may have a normal body weight, but if MCS reveals muscle wasting, intervention is urgently needed.
👉 Conversely, excess body fat in older patients exacerbate inflammation, worsens chronic disease outcomes and shortens the lifespan.

✅ Regular BCS and MCS assessments allow early intervention - before clinical disease progresses.

Key Points in Nutrition of Senior Dogs

🍽️ Energy needs vary from 80 to 120 kcal/BW0.75: most seniors require less, but conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or certain cancers can increase demands.

🥩Protein: Adequate protein is essential to preserve lean body mass, especially in aging or chronically ill dogs.
While maintenance recommendations (5.2 g/100 kcal for an average MER of 95 kcal/BW^0.75) represent the minimum requirements established for pet foods, evidence indicates that higher protein levels are often necessary to preserve lean body mass and support overall well-being, particularly in elderly or chronically ill dogs.
When energy requirements are reduced - for example due to aging, desexing, or a sedentary lifestyle - these minimum values may no longer be optimal, as the proportion of protein relative to energy intake should increase to maintain adequate amino acid supply.
Therefore, protein and energy supply should always be interpreted in the context of the individual’s body composition and clinical status.

🩺 In practice, nutritional strategies should be tailored to the combined evaluation of BCS and MCS. Seniors with low body condition may benefit from a moderate increase in dietary energy (~10%) while maintaining adequate protein intake.

🩺 Dogs presenting both reduced BCS and muscle wasting require transition to a highly digestible, protein-rich diet, with reassessment after approximately two weeks to monitor progress.

🩺 Overweight patients, on the other hand, should follow a structured weight loss protocol targeting 0.5 - 1% body weight reduction per week; however, when muscle loss is concomitant, additional protein support is necessary to preserve lean mass and minimize the risk of frailty.

💡From maintaining BCS and MCS to supporting cognition and immunity, senior dogs require tailored nutrition strategies. Are you confident you can identify the early red flags in your aging patients?

👉 Learn how to evaluate commercial diets and make evidence-based recommendations in the Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy:
https://vetclinicalnutrition.academy/bundle/

Suggested reading: Nutritional Guidelines | FEDIAF
Purina Institute, Handbook of Canine and Feline Well-Pet Nutrition (2025)

✨ Meet the organizer behind the Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy ✨

For more than 10 years, I’ve been working with veterinarians and pet care professionals, focusing on evidence-based nutrition for dogs and cats. Alongside my academic background, I also collaborate with pet food companies on product development and nutritional consulting.

This international program is a natural continuation of my work. Over the past years, I’ve created numerous courses, webinars, and e-books in Polish – many of them in collaboration with fellow specialists. Now, I’m excited to bring this knowledge to a global audience, together with outstanding EBVS specialists who joined me as lecturers.

My goal is simple: to provide veterinary professionals with high-quality, unbiased education in clinical nutrition – a field that continues to grow in importance for the health and well-being of our patients.

👉 Learn more and enroll:
https://vetclinicalnutrition.academy/bundle/

And take a look what participants say about my courses:

⭐ "A true pleasure to learn"
I’m so glad I came across your website in the endless sea of online content, most of which isn’t really worth much. It’s such a pleasure to learn from lectures that are so professionally prepared, and at the same time delivered in a clear and genuinely friendly way.
Anna Ożga

⭐ "The best in Poland at what she does"
During the course I learned many new things that truly surprised me. Reading posts from other nutritionists, I honestly think Karolina is the best in Poland at what she does. The course debunks myths that have been repeated for years and proves that there is always more to learn.
Katarzyna Kuryłowicz

⭐ "Passion, not just theory"
I didn’t expect such a great way of teaching – and above all, I appreciate that you are open to all types of feline diets. You don’t impose one “right” way, but instead show that every approach has its pros and cons. Your passion really comes through – it’s not just dry theory.
Thank you for so many practical tips!
Renata

Not every “gastrointestinal (GI) diet” is automatically the best choice for GI issues.
The right formulation must match the underlying disease mechanism.
🐶 Canine pancreatitis (especially hyperlipidemic cases):
One of the most critical factors is fat restriction.
👉 Practical target: 16 - 24% of ME from fat (≤ 25 - 30 g fat/1000 kcal).
👉 Many standard GI diets are moderate-fat (25 - 35% ME) - which may be too high for these patients.
A simple rule of thumb: aim for a diet with ~ 50% less fat than the current maintenance food.
🧪 Diet-responsive enteropathies:
A hydrolyzed or novel-protein elimination diet often delivers better clinical outcomes than a standard GI formula.
Trial duration matters too - typically 2-4 weeks are needed to assess the response.
🌱 Colitis, altered motility, gastritis:
Here, outcomes depend heavily on the fiber profile.
⚠️ Remember: labels list only crude fiber, which underestimates the role of soluble and fermentable fibers.
- Colitis may benefit from moderately fermentable blends (e.g. psyllium).
- Excess viscous soluble fiber can actually delay gastric emptying and worsen vomiting.

🔍 Take-home message:
Reading the front label is not enough. To make the right choice, normalize nutrients to g/1000 kcal, and align the profile with the specific pathology – whether that means low fat, hydrolyzed protein, high digestibility or targeted fiber modulation.

📌 Do you feel confident evaluating both the case and the diet label?
If not, this is exactly what we teach in the Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy – a 1-year online program led by EBVS® Specialists, delivering 60 CPD hours of independent, evidence-based training.

👉 Enrollment is open now: https://vetclinicalnutrition.academy/bundle/

Suggested reading: doi.org/10.2460/javma.22.12.0548

We already know dietary fiber plays a central role in gastrointestinal health for both dogs and cats. It influences digestion, nutrient absorption, and even the balance of the gut microbiome.
✔ Shapes the texture of digesta
✔ Influences appetite and satiety
✔ Modulates gastric emptying and intestinal transit
✔ Provides fuel for beneficial microbes through fermentation
But here’s the important part: not all fibers act the same way. Their clinical effects vary depending on type, source, and even how they are processed:
🔹 Non- or slowly fermentable fibers → pass through largely unchanged, bind water, and increase f***l bulk.
🔹 Soluble & viscous fibers → slow gastric emptying and small-intestinal transit, helping to modulate nutrient absorption.
🔹 Highly fermentable fibers → rapidly fermented in the colon, reducing f***l bulk but enhancing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.
In clinical practice, these differences matter. Balanced blends of soluble and insoluble fibers can benefit patients with acute colitis or chronic diarrhea. However, in cases of acute gastritis, excess soluble fiber may actually be counterproductive.
👉 As veterinary professionals, being able to interpret fiber sources on pet food labels - and knowing how to apply them therapeutically - is key to developing more effective, individualized diets for our patients.
If you want to strengthen your expertise in clinical nutrition, here is the perfect opportunity.

📌 Enrollment for the Vet Clinical Nutrition Academy is now open – details here: https://vetclinicalnutrition.academy/bundle/

Source: JAVMA, 2022; DOI: 10.2460/javma.22.08.0351