Currently Ardente Veterinary Nutrition is focused on providing nutrition consultation to zoos and aquariums. The following list of services provides a description of the types of consults offered and associated starting costs, but Dr. Ardente will customize each consultation to meet the unique needs of the facility.

Zoo/Aquarium Nutrition Consultations

Healthy individual animal or species group (Starting $300)

  • Primary point of contact: veterinary team, if possible
  • Background investigation performed
    • Review medical records
    • Review current diet
  • Perform current diet nutrient analysis through outside laboratories (separate fee, not included)
    • Facility to sample diet items via step-by-step instructions provided
  • Provide veterinary team with results of nutrient analyses
  • Recommend diet modification through detailed written report provided to veterinary team
    • Inclusion of new product through current or additional vendor may be recommended
  • Recommend follow-up diagnostic plan and review case progress, with 1 built-in diet modification provided if needed (based on condition, diet consumption, husbandry/training dynamics, etc)

Incoming new species (Starting $300)

  • Primary points of contact: veterinary team or animal curators/managers
  • Background investigation performed
    • Review current diet item options available at institution
    • Review husbandry of species, current literature, and obtain input from other holding facilities
  • Develop initial diet plan, including diet items and feeding frequency, based on above review
  • Recommend follow-up diagnostic plan and review case progress, with 1 built-in diet modification provided if needed (based on condition, diet consumption, husbandry/training dynamics, etc)

Entire collection diet evaluation (Starting $5,000)

  • Primary points of contact: veterinary team or animal curators/managers
  • Custom package based on size and diversity of collection
    • At least one site visit recommended
    • Background investigation performed
      • Review current diet item options available at institution
      • Review husbandry of species, current literature, and obtain input from other holding facilities
      • Recommend current diet nutrient analysis, as needed, by outside laboratories
        • Facility to sample diet items via step-by-step instructions provided
      • Provide veterinary team with results of nutrient analyses
    • Recommend diet modification through detailed written report provided to veterinary team
      • Inclusion of new product through current or additional vendor may be recommended
    • Recommend follow-up diagnostic plan and review case progress, with 1 built-in diet modification provided if needed (based on condition, diet consumption, husbandry/ training dynamics, etc)

Follow-up evaluations ($100-200)

  • Case dependent, includes one additional diet evaluation/modification with up to 2 follow-up phone calls and/or emails

Site visits (Travel expenses, including travel, lodging, and $30/day per diem meals/incidentals)

  • Recommended for entire collection diet review
  • Available upon request for individual or population diet evaluations

Continuing education lectures

  • Available for veterinarians, curators, zoo keepers and/or aquarists
  • Arranged as distance education or in-person visit