Did you know that the treatment of a chronic (long-term) health condition in a pet may not always come in the form of pills? In some pets, the cornerstone of their management may be a dietary change!
Here are three common scenarios where a prescription diet can help pets to feel better and even potentially live longer.
Food sensitivities or allergies
Unfortunately, not every pet can tolerate every diet! Pets may respond positively to a gradual transition to a prescription diet if they have a sensitive tummy or another type of digestive issue.
The best dietary option will sometimes require a bit of careful trial and error under the supervision of our knowledgeable vets, but will often involve:
- For sensitive tummies: an easily digestible diet with added prebiotics such as psyllium husk, cooked pumpkin or beet pulp
- For pancreatitis: a low-fat diet with a fat content (on a dry matter basis) below 15%, or below 8% for severe cases
- For food allergies: a hypoallergenic diet, containing either hydrolysed proteins or a single type of novel (new) protein, and easily digestible carbohydrates
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
For pets with moderate long-term kidney disease, a switch to a prescription kidney support diet can reduce workload on their kidneys, which helps them to feel well for longer and can even help them to live longer too – wow!
Prescription kidney diets are adjusted to have:
- Lower levels of protein
- Lower levels of salt
- Lower levels of phosphate
- Supplementation of essential fatty acids such as omega-3s
Osteoarthritis
If your senior pet is above their healthiest weight and showing symptoms of osteoarthritis, a prescription diet that helps to manage their weight and contains proven anti-inflammatory supplements such as omega-3s can make a big difference to their comfort and mobility.
In fact, studies show that appropriate weight loss in an overweight patient with arthritis can significantly reduce their long-term lameness.
For more information on prescription diets for pets, consult our experienced team.