Prescription Diet Limited Ingredient Dog Food | Petco

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Health & Wellness
My dog likes z/d. Is there a cheaper Hill's alternative at Petco?
Thats funny! Most dogs don't want to eat the Z/D! I don't think they have a food that tastes exactly like the Z/D at non-prescription price but you could try any of the science diet dog foods - all of which are very palatable and she may like. For just a general food, I like science diet adult for dogs over 1. Once she is over 7 years old, I recommend to switch her to the senior diet. It is perfectly safe for her to eat the z/d long term although that would be expensive for you. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Puppy with severe food allergies: What prescription diet should I try?
I would try hills z/d ultra or royal canin anallergenic (an even more restricted version). Ensure also she is not receiving any additional treats, flavored tablets, bones, table scraps or raiding any garbage bins. She may also require prescription medication to resolve the current flare up. A home prepared diet may be an option but would have to be formulated with the help of an expert nutritionalist and can only comprise of novel ingredients (foods she has never eaten before such as kangaroo/venison/sweet potato etc - these are very difficult to supplement sufficiently and are very expensive to maintain in the long term)
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Affordable dog food for allergies? Vet's prescription is too costly.
For an ideal diet trial for a suspected food allergy, it is typically recommended to feed a hydrolyzed protein diet (proteins are broken down to the point where they can't trigger the immune system) exclusively for 6-8 weeks. After that point, some dogs are rechallenged with their original diet to see if signs recur or started on a novel protein diet (one protein source/one carbohydrate source). If signs of a food allergy are still present, some dogs need to remain on the hydrolyzed diet indefinitely. The hydrolyzed diets are prescription based and include Royal Canin Ultimano, Royal Canin HP, Science Diet Z/D ultra, and Purina HA. There are many pet food companies online that can also dispense these diets with a prescription from your vet (chewy.com is one example). If the cost of a hydrolyzed diet is still not feasible for a diet trial, talk to your vet about starting Rico on a novel protein diet. Many of these are still prescription based, but I have also been impressed by the Dick van Patten Natural Balance limited ingredient line, which is available over the counter. With any diet trial, it can take 2-3 months to determine if it is effective and you need to be strict in that Rico would only receive his dog food with no other treats or table foods. I hope this helps! :-)
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellness
My picky cat needs new hydrolyzed Rx canned food. What are options?
Frankly, I do not care for Blue Buffalo products because they have a history of lying about their ingredients in their diets. Hills and Royal Canin are my preferred brands. There are other limited protein food brands out there, such as Natural Balance, which has formulas with a single protein source and a single carbohydrate source, making it less likely for your cat to develop an allergy.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My dog has protein intolerance. Need Hill's Z/D food alternatives?
Without a full diet history it is impossible to prescribe a diet. Hills z/d is a hydrolyzed formula where all the proteins have been broken down (akin to being pre-digested) into small pieces so the immune system should not react to them and so should resolve the food intolerance symptoms, it is easily digested and highly absorbable by even the most sensitive bowel. A similar, hydrolyzed option is royal canin hypoallergenic or anallergenic and many pets find these extremely palatable. Some cases can do well on a 'novel protein diet' of home prepared food based on a protein source which she has never eaten before. This should be formulated only by a specialist nutritionist - tufts university clinical nutrition team are available by phone or appointment to help with this but it can be extremely expensive and time consuming to feed such a specific and strict diet and commercial brands are often more successful in resolving symptoms in the long term
Updated on September 24th, 2025