Post-operative Nutrition

Kara Burns

MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS-H (Internal Medicine, Dentistry)

Kara Burns is a licensed veterinary technician with a master’s degree in physiology and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist and as a poison specialist dealing with human and animal poisonings. Kara is the Founder and President of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians. She teaches nutrition courses around the world. Kara is a consultant for the Lafeber Company and Emeraid. Kara is the Director of Veterinary Nursing for NAVC Publishing as well as the Editor in Chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. She also works as an independent nutritional consultant. She is a member of many national, international, and state associations and holds positions on many boards in the profession: American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition executive board; Western Veterinary Conference Technician Education Manager; NAVTA immediate Past President; Pride VMC board treasurer; International Society for Sports Nutrition; and the Pet Nutrition Alliance President Elect, to name a few. She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization. Kara and her wife Dr. Ellen Lowery developed the Pet Nutrition Coach Certification course through NAVC. Ms. Burns has been featured on the cover of the Veterinary Technician Journal and the NAVTA Journal. She was named the North American Veterinary Conference Technician Speaker of the Year in 2013 and in 2016. She was granted an honorary VTS (Internal Medicine) in 2011. She was also granted an honorary VTS (Dentistry) in 2012. She is the 2010 NAVTA Veterinary Technician of the Year, as well as the 2011 Dr. Franklin Loew Lecturer.