Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Clinical Nutrition Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Nestlé Purina Petcare Clinical Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Expertise
Small Animal Clinical Nutrition
Biography
Dr. Parr, a 2009 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® with the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, joined the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020 as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Nutrition. In her role, Dr. Parr leads the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Service, providing nutritional consultations for cats and dogs.
From 2015-2020, Dr. Parr gained valuable experience working in the pet nutrition industry, which provides her with a unique perspective. Her ability to draw from her experiences in private practice, industry, and academia provides a well-rounded viewpoint when teaching the next generation of veterinarians. Based on her exemplary contributions she received a Canadian “Best in Show Award” in 2018 and in 2019 she was a regional winner and global finalist for the “Make The Difference Awards”, both prestigious awards from her former employer.
In 2018, Dr. Parr became a Founding Member and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition. The Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition’s mission is to advocate for evidence-based animal nutrition and for veterinary nutrition education across Canada.
Dr. Parr is passionate about teaching and social media. She is endearingly known as The Kibble QueenTM online, which was a nickname she was given during veterinary school by her peers due to her unrelenting passion for cat and dog nutrition.
Lastly, Dr. Parr believes in giving back to the veterinary profession through volunteer work:
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph (2015-present)
• Ontario Veterinary College Pet Nutrition Team (2015-present)
• Secretary, American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Executive (2015-2017)
• Website Director, American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Outreach Committee (2017-2019)
• Member-at-Large, American College of Veterinary Nutrition Exeutive Board (2018-present)
• Founding Member and Active Fellow, Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (2018-present)
• Global Committee, Global Animal Nutrition Summit 2020 (2019-2020)
Educational Background
Dr. Parr completed a rotating small animal internship and a residency in clinical nutrition at Angell Animal Medical Centre in Boston, MA. During her internship, Dr. Parr was awarded the Dr. Sharon Drellich Memorial Award for professionalism, collegiality, and compassion. During her four years in Boston, she also completed a Masters in biochemical and molecular nutrition at Tufts University.
Dr. Parr returned to OVC in 2013 to complete a post-doctoral fellowship and focus on development of the first Clinical Nutrition Service in Canada for the OVC Health Sciences Centre. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in 2015. She was awarded the OVC Young Alumnus Award in 2016.
