Who is...

Dr. Richard C. Nap, graduated as DVM (dierenarts) in 1979 from the Utrecht University after spending an student internship at Michigan State University. He is a specialist in Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery with a Ph.D from the Utrecht University and is a Diplomate of The European College of Veterinary Surgery (ECVS) and The College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN), and member of the AO-Vet group and .

During a period of 4 years in private referral practice and 13 years as associate-professor in orthopedic Medicine and Surgery at the Department of Companion Animal Sciences, at the Utrecht University in The Netherlands, he built significant training and experience in orthopedic medicine and surgery. In 1993, he was in the first group of veterinarians to take and pass the board exams for the European College of Veterinary Surgery ECVS, in Cambridge UK. In the same year he defended his thesis (proefschrift) on the “Effects of protein and mineral nutrition on the skeletal development in dogs” (Utrecht 1993) From 1994 till May 2005 Dr. Nap has worked with Iams Europe / Procter & Gamble as Associate-Director with responsibilities academic affairs, external relations and clinical studies.

In 2005 he started “Uppertunity Consultants”, and in 2006 was launch partner of Vetstart International Ltd. an independent academic affair agency. Vetstart is a student marketing program that supports final year students and new graduates in order to make an optimal career start in veterinary practice by providing products and services available from partners and sponsors in the animal health industry and the international veterinary organizations. Richard also serves international projects including the Southern European Veterinary Conference in various responsibilities and works on projects with multinational companies.

He is author and co-author of over 25 peer reviewed articles, book chapters, as well as numerous publications, and congress abstracts. He has presented at scientific meetings throughout the world (Europe, South Africa, USA, Asia, and South America) at international veterinary congresses, seminars, and symposia, as well as during university lectures, and dog breeder symposia. His main topics are 1. the relationship between nutrition and skeletal development of bones and joints in the growing dog, and 2. the management of overweight. Dr. Nap is the chairman of the FCI scientific committee international advisory expert group on Hip Dysplasia.

Richard Nap is married to Dr. Betina Rama. They share 4 children and one cat, and can be found in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Buenos Aires Argentina, Santiago de Chile, as well as in Punta del Este Uruguay.