What are Prescription Diets?
Prescription diets are specially formulated to help a dog or cat manage or even help reverse the signs of a medical condition. They are completely natural and have no added drugs or medications.
Each type of prescription diet is formulated with the specific medical issue in mind. For example, prescription diets designed for animals with diabetes have lower levels of carbohydrates and simple sugars to help control blood sugar and reduce strain on the pancreas. Kidney diets have reduced levels of protein to reduce the load on the kidneys. And skin diets often have low levels of allergens and increased levels of anti-oxidants such as Omega-3 oils.
Many medical issues can be helped with prescription diets, including allergies, skin problems, kidney problems, bladder stones, liver issues, diabetes, arthritis and weight loss. For a number of conditions, an effective diet can be one of the cornerstones of treatment.
There have been great advances in veterinary nutrition in the last few decades, and specialized diets can significantly improve the quality and length of life for animals with medical problems.
Two of the most well-respected ranges of specialized diets are Hills Prescription Diet and Royal Canin Veterinary Diet. Two newer prescription diets getting great feedback from pet parents are Vet Expert and Purina Pro-Plan Veterinary.
Can I change back to a normal diet if my pet seems better than before?
In most cases, pets should be kept on their prescription diet for the long term. A prescription diet can greatly help reduce the signs of a problem, but if a pet is changed back on to their old diet there is a high chance that the problem will come back. For example, if a pet is eating a special kidney diet that is low in protein and helping the kidneys, signs of kidney failure will often reduce. However, if they are put back on a regular higher protein diet they will start showing signs of kidney problems again.
Prescription diets are completely nutritionally balanced and are suitable for long-term feeding. They can also greatly improve the length and quality of life for unwell animals, so pets needing a prescription diet should be kept on that food for the long term.
Can I get Prescription Diet for my pets without a prescription?
You can purchase Veterinary diets and Prescription diets from Vetopia, but you should only use a diet as prescribed by your veterinarian.
Prescription diets must be prescribed by a vet as an inappropriate diet would not help an animal, and in some cases, it could worsen another condition. For example, giving the wrong type of bladder stone diet could make some bladder problems worse.
Prescription diets for dogs are available here.
Prescription diets for cats are available here.