My dog has protein intolerance. Need Hill's Z/D food 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 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)

And thank you for your question! Hills Z/D is a great allergy diet. The way it works is that it is a hydrolyzed protein diet meaning that the proteins that normally cause allergies are too small to trigger the allergy with the hydrolyzed formula. Hill's Derm defense is a great food as well. The way that Derm defense works is that it strengthens the Skin Barrier and it has multiple antioxidants and phytonutrients period before switching to Derm defense I would suggest speaking with your veterinarian who previously placed Louie on Z/D to see if this would be a good switch. Some other things that help with allergies would include omega-3 fish oil supplements and essential 6 Spot On by dermoscent. Help this guide you in the right direction. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have

Theoretically Trixie could do any of the hydrolyzed diets. Royal Canin carries a hydrolyzed protein diet very similar to the Hill’s diet. Purina also carries a formula as well called HA. Most likely Trixie would do fine on any of these. Make sure any diet transition is slow over the course of 5 to 7 days. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!

Hello, and thank you for your question. Dogs with IBD should definitely be on a hypoallergenic diet of some sort. The good news is that there are a wide variety of hypoallergenic diet options. Hill's i/d is actually NOT a hypoallergenic diet. It is a bland diet designed for sensitive stomachs, but not for food allergies. There are two main categories of hypoallergenic diets: 1) Novel protein diets, which consist of protein sources that most dogs have never been exposed to before. This includes venison, duck, kangaroo, rabbit, etc. You would choose the novel protein that you are sure Toby has never eaten before, including through treats or table scraps. 2) Hydrolyzed protein diets most often consist of hydrolyzed soy protein, where the molecule is broken down in such a way that the body does not recognize it as an allergen. These are a good option as well, but it is not guaranteed to work in all dogs. Both types of diets come in wet and dry options (e.g. Hill's z/d comes in wet and dry). I would talk to your vet about trying a brand with a wet option. Once he is weaned onto the new diet, he should be kept on it for a minimum of 8 weeks with no other treats or table scraps. I hope this helps, and that Toby gets better soon!

I am assuming your vet suspects Henry has a chicken intolerance that may be contributing to the pancreatitis bouts. Hill's z/d and Royal Canin HP are what are called "hydrolyzed protein diets." These diets are designed such that the proteins have been processed to be broken down to such small pieces that the body won't recognize them as something that could mount an allergic or intolerance response. If your cat won't eat these foods THAT'S OK! There are other appropriate foods available, because another possible approach to concerns for allergies and intolerances is to use a different protein altogether; these are called "novel protein diets." There are some high quality foods available that may be very helpful; including this diet-- Royal Canin PR (protein source is peas and rabbit): https://www.royalcanin.com/products/royal-canin-veterinary-diet-feline-selected-protein-adult-pr-dry-cat-food-8.8-lb-bag/762188 Or Hills d/d (rather than z/d): protein source is peas and venison) https://www.hillspet.com/cat-food/pd-dd-feline-venison-and-green-pea-formula-dry If you do decide to cook for him, check out the site balanceit.com which will help you with a recipe. While diet can be a factor with pancreatitis, and we definitely worry about a high fat diet predisposing to the condition, no one knows exactly why some cats develop pancreatitis. Here is some good information on pancreatitis is cats. https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-pancreatitis-serious I hope that helps you!! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

A hydrolyzed therapeutic diet might be the best option for a dog with food allergies and potential heart disease. Hills makes a version called z/d, Royal Canin makes HP and Purina makes HA. Your vet would know more details however and might make a different recommendation based on Champ’s history so you should contact them before changing the diet.