Why do my cat's prescription urinary treats need vet approval?

Hello Kevin, My name is Dr. Shines and I understand your thought process. Going to the veterinarian can be stressful! Unfortunately online veterinarians are not legally allowed to provide any type of prescription. Any prescription, even prescription food, requires a legal client patient relationship. This can only be established by having a physical exam. This legal relationship will last for 12 months from the date of the exam. I recommend to call Kevin's veterinarian and ask if there is a reason they aren't approving the prescription. Maybe there's a specific reason? You might also look into a mobile veterinarian who can come to your home and save Kevin the stress of a trip. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sidney. You can call other veterinarians in your area to see if they will write him a prescription. You may find someone willing to do it, but the majority of veterinarians will require an examination on the patient by their hospital in the past year. Another option is to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a date in the future. In this case, she may be able to provide you with a prescription for the food for a month or so until your appointment. I hope this information helps!

I would not feed him anything except for the prescription diet. You can take the can version of the diet and put it in ice trays and freeze it to make treats for him. You could also look at the brand of prescription food and see if that have a compatible treat. You could even call the company and ask - most are more than willing to help. I hope this helps!

As with all treats, moderation is the best approach. You can give Ashton cat treats here and there and they will not mess up his diet, if you feed one or two a day. However, instead of food treats, treat him with cat nip sprinkled on a towel....he will love this even more. Prescription urinary health food usually has to come from the vet.

It is recommended to have Rigby's urine checked. We would want to make sure that the food is still working and he is not developing crystals. It is always recommended to have twice-yearly checkups to make sure animals are still ok and to catch things early but especially with urinary issues. If there are crystals starting in Rigby's urine then a change in food would be recommended. This is ideally best medicine. If you are unable to bring in Rigby, I would discuss other options with your veterinarian. You have to have a physical performed at least yearly to keep with the laws of having a veterinary - patient - client relationship inorder to write prescriptions. Your veterinarian may allow you to collect the urine at home by using a non-absorbant litter. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Grandpaw. All prescription diets need to be prescribed by veterinarians. They are specially formulated for medical conditions. There are specific cases in whichh they can and cannot be feed. For example, a prescription kidney diet will be restricted in protein levels. This would not be appropriate for a young growing puppy. Prescription urinary diet are generally high in fat and salt. This can be contraindicated in patients with heart disease or a history of pancreatitis. These diets do not contain drugs, but are used to treat specific medical conditions. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I politely disagree with your Vet. I do not recommend over the counter urinary diets for cats who have been obstructed. It is a life threatening condition and not to mention expensive issue. I wouldn't risk a non-prescription diet. They are not comparable to the prescription options. I recommend, if your cat will eat it, an all canned food prescription urinary diet like Hill's c/d, Royal canin SO or Purina UR. Increase water intake where ever possible (adding water to the canned food, water fountains, etc). If you decide to go with an over the counter option then go with the lowest ash and do all canned food. I wish you the best!