My dog needs Hill's i/d. Cheaper digestive diet alternatives?

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!

I'm a fan of I/D. Hill's has veterinary nutritionists on staff, they run feeding trials, and they are an excellent food company. I put more trust in a company that has veterinary nutritionists on staff to make sure a dog's nutritional balance is met than with a company that doesn't have them on staff. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately there is not a comparable diet that would be less expensive. You could ask your vet about trying an over the counter weight loss diet if you haven't already, but the prescription diets are by far the lowest in calories and have other nutrients that promote weight loss.

Hi there. If you just need something to give her for a short time (up to a week or two), you could feed her plain boiled chicken and rice - this is bland and very low in fat, and shouldn't upset her stomach while you're waiting to be able to get her prescription diet again.

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

If it is persisting you may need an ultra to measure and look at the intestines or. A biopsy for a diagnoses. persistent diarrhea can be a sign of cancer or inflammatory bowel or a food allergy You can feed boiled chicken and rice or continue with the I/D, I know it is expensive but it does help. You can also try a hypoallergenic diet such as royal canine rabbit and potato. The goal of a hypoallergenic diet is a single protein and single carb to not make their GI track work as hard and decrease allergies You should also add a probiotic to the diet as this will help return normal bacteria population to the gut Sometimes a low dose of cortisone can help get rid of inflammation to help also

Most cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require hypoallergenic diets composed of hydrolyzed proteins (proteins broken down to the point where they will not stimulate the immune system). These diets are prescription based and include Royal Canin Ultimano, Royal Canin HP, Science Diet Z/D and Purina HA. In some cases of IBD, a dog can tolerate a novel protein diet (one protein source and one carbohydrate source) after a period of time on a hypoallergenic diet. Some novel protein diets are prescription based (such as Science Diet D/D), but others are available over the counter (such as Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet). Most cases of IBD also require some form of corticosteroids for management in addition to the diet change. Before making any changes in Peaches' diet, be sure to consult her vet to make sure this is appropriate for her case. I hope this helps!