Vet recommended diets might be the answer. These specially formulated diets are designed to help manage various health conditions in dogs, from arthritis to kidney disease. It's important to note that vet recommended diets require a recommendation and authorization from a veterinarian. Depending on the health issue being addressed, vets will frequently recommend avoiding other foods or treats while using these diets. The pet experts at TELUS Health MyPet have listed some health conditions that may benefit from vet recommended diets:
Hepatic (Liver) Disease: When liver function is compromised, this vitally important organ struggles to process proteins and remove toxins. Liver diets contain specific proteins in amounts that are easier for the liver to handle, helping to prevent neurologic and other health complications.
Renal (Kidney) Disease: For dogs with kidney issues, vet recommended renal diets, among other nutritional modifications, contain reduced protein levels that can decrease kidney workload. These diets help manage kidney conditions and symptoms of disease by minimizing toxic by-products, significantly improving quality of life and how dogs with kidney disease feel day-to-day.
Osteoarthritis/Mobility/Joint Health: Joint health diets contain therapeutic-strength levels of glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Ideal for senior pets,those with joint injuries, and osteoarthritis these diets help maintain mobility and reduce inflammation, and can put a spring back in your senior pup's step.
Allergies/Digestive Care: Dogs can have food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, and other gastrointestinal issues that may require specially formulated diets.
Special diets include:
Urinary Disease (Crystals/Stones): These diets help prevent and dissolve urinary crystals and stones. Regular monitoring of both urine and blood work is important for managing these conditions, but a therapeutic diet is absolutely essential to treating this type of urinary disease effectively.
Weight Management/Metabolic/Diabetic: These diets support healthy weight and metabolism through balanced nutrition. Diabetic formulas focus on protein and fat content while limiting carbohydrates, and effective weight management has been clinically proven to improve the average lifespan of dogs.
Dental Health: There are two methods by which dental products can be beneficial to your dog's teeth - mechanical and enzymatic. Mechanical action helps scrape plaque off the teeth, preventing tartar build up, while enzymatic action helps destroy bacteria on the teeth. Dental diets are formulated specifically to shear apart and then scrape the teeth as they're being chewed. For this reason, you'll find that dental diets are a larger size kibble than usual. However, nothing is more effective at preventing periodontal disease than brushing your dog's teeth and having regular professional dental procedures performed at your veterinary clinic.
Cardiac (Heart) Disease: Heart-friendly diets adjust sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels to support cardiac function, which is particularly important for dogs who receive heart medications.
Aging (Brain, Neurologic): Senior diets include antioxidants and specific amino acids to support cognitive function and mental clarity.
Combination Diets:
There are several therapeutic diets that help with more than one condition:
Treats: Vet recommended treats complement therapeutic diets while maintaining the bonding experience of treat-giving.
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