Prescription Pet Food 101: Understanding the Benefits of Therapeutic Diets

When it comes to your pet’s health, the team at Mountainside Veterinary Hospital uses every tool we’ve got at our disposal. For pets with certain disease risks and chronic conditions, this might include recommending a prescription pet food, or therapeutic diet. Learn more about how prescription pet food can reduce the symptoms of some diseases, slow disease progression, and reduce the risk of future complications! 

Importance Of Proper Pet Nutrition

Grain-free, raw, freeze-dried, home cooked… these days, there are more ways to feed your pet than ever before. Unfortunately, not all pet food trends are rooted in sound nutrition science. 

Just like humans, our companion animals need a certain combination of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water every day in order to function normally. And while humans, dogs, and cats are all mammals, each species has its own unique nutrition needs. Even more confusing, these nutrition needs change throughout their life based on genetics, lifestyle, and age!

High quality pet foods are specifically formulated to keep your pet’s metabolism and immune system functioning normally at every stage of life. They provide essential macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals to support whole-body health.

What Is A Prescription Pet Food? 

You’ve probably seen bags or cans of prescription pet food at your veterinarian’s office or online pharmacy! These foods typically have descriptive names that describe what they treat (e.g., Digestive Care, Urinary Health, Dental Care). 

Prescription pet foods, also called therapeutic diets or veterinary diets, are made with special ingredients and supplements to support pets with particular diseases or illnesses. These foods can be a powerful healthcare tool. However, just like many medications, they require a prescription to ensure they’re being used correctly. 

Diet plays an important part in treating or managing many chronic health conditions. By using a combination of therapies—medication, diet, and other interventions—we can provide more comprehensive support than with a single treatment modality. 

How Can Prescription Pet Food Help?

Prescription pet food takes the idea of “food as medicine” to an extreme, because in this case the food actually is medicine! But what specific benefits can prescription foods offer that other high quality diets don’t? 

Reduce the Symptoms of Disease

Therapeutic diets can help combat issues relating to coat health, dental health, diabetes, digestive health, joint health, GI sensitivities, urinary tract health, weight management, and many more. 

For example, your veterinarian may recommend a prescription diet if your cat has chronic or recurrent bladder stones. A therapeutic diet like Hill’s C/D is clinically proven to dissolve potentially painful struvite stones in as few as seven days. 

For pets with food sensitivities or digestive problems, the right prescription diet can reduce symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, bloating, and vomiting. 

Another example:prescription dog food for a dog with arthritis will contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants to reduce inflammation, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to protect joint cartilage, and added L-carnitine to keep muscles strong. This combination reduces symptoms of pain and stiffness while protecting joints from further damage. 

Slow Disease Progression

Some prescription diets go beyond just relieving symptoms. They can actually support your pet’s overall wellness and slow disease progression. 

For example, prescription dog foods can be an important part of therapy for dogs with kidney disease. There’s a close link between protein intake, blood phosphorus levels, and kidney health. Dogs with kidney disease gradually lose the ability to excrete phosphorus in their urine, so it backs up in the bloodstream. Reducing phosphorus intake has been shown to slow the progression of kidney disease in dogs and increase their lifespan.

Prescription kidney diets usually contain a moderate amount of high-quality protein and are low in phosphorus and sodium, which reduces the workload on the kidneys. They also include Omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to promote kidney function and overall health and wellness. 

This is just one example of how prescription pet food supports both overall health and can help slow the progression of specific health conditions. 

Lower the Risk of Future Complications

Prescription pet foods are carefully formulated to not only manage the symptoms of chronic diseases, but also to prevent future complications. 

For example, a therapeutic diet prescribed for diabetes will have precise levels of carbohydrates and fiber to minimize blood glucose spikes and promote steady energy release. By helping to manage diabetes effectively, prescription diets can reduce the risk of further complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, nerve damage, and vision problems.

Similarly, urinary health diets are proven to lower the recurrence of most common urinary signs by 89% and promote desirable urine pH levels.

Talk To Your Vet About Prescription Pet Food!

​While prescription diets are widely available online, keep in mind you’ll need a prescription from a vet to buy them. This helps  keep pets safe and ensures they’re on the correct therapeutic formula for any specific health conditions. If you have questions about the benefits of prescription pet food, get in touch! Our veterinary team is happy to answer questions and make recommendations for all of our patients.

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